'Decided to resign': Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba steps down as LDP President; hopes to avoid party split

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced Sunday he will step down, amid mounting pressure from within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to take responsibility for July’s upper house election defeat. "I have decided to resign from the position of president of the Liberal Democratic Party," said Ishiba, referring to Japan’s long-dominant ruling party, which has held power almost continuously for decades, as quoted by AP. Ishiba, who took office in October, had resisted demands from mostly right-wing opponents within his party for more than a month. His resignation comes just one day before the LDP was due to decide whether to hold an early leadership election — a move widely seen as a no-confidence vote against him if approved. The prime minister said he would begin the process of organizing a leadership contest to choose his successor, adding there was no need for Monday’s scheduled decision. The resignation follows July’s setback, when the LDP-Komeito coalition lost its upper house majority, dropping from 141 to 122 seats in the 248-member chamber. While less powerful than the lower house, the upper house remains critical for passing legislation.