Japan’s ‘house of cards’: Ishiba clings to power as hawks demand LDP election
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba faces more pressure to step down following an LDP report on its defeat in July’s Upper House election
This week, the chorus demanding Ishiba’s resignation grew louder after the LDP released an internal report examining its dismal performance in July’s Upper House election. The party lost 18 seats, leaving it short of a parliamentary majority even with its long-time political ally Komeito.
The report was critical of the party’s failure to firmly deal with scandals involving money in politics and communicate its efforts to keep rising prices under control.
The July election was the second national vote that the party has lost under Ishiba and the third significant defeat if the Tokyo Metropolitan Government election is included. Nevertheless, Ishiba has been able to cobble together enough support to remain as prime minister and head a minority government.
Releasing the in-house report into July’s defeat, Ishiba bowed to express his contrition in front of fellow LDP members on Tuesday, saying: “I offer my deepest apologies from the bottom of my heart. This was truly regrettable.”
Party members who anticipated that he would immediately follow the report’s release with an announcement that he would resign were quickly disappointed when Ishiba said he would carry on.