Ishiba resigns as LDP leader, to stay on until successor chosen

Tokyo — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced on Sunday that he will resign as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, bowing to mounting pressure after his coalition suffered successive electoral setbacks and amid deepening unrest within the party. NHK and other domestic media reported the resignation and Ishiba confirmed the decision at a televised news conference, saying he would remain in office until the LDP elects a successor.

Ishiba, 68, said he had decided to step aside to take responsibility for the party's poor showing in July's upper house election and to avoid a damaging split in the LDP. He told reporters that with trade negotiations with the United States concluded he believed it was the appropriate moment to hand over leadership, and he said he would not run in the upcoming internal contest.

The move comes after months of intense criticism from factions inside the LDP, particularly its right wing, which blamed Ishiba for a collapse in voter support driven by frustration over rising living costs and concerns about corruption. An internal LDP report released this week criticized the party's handling of money-in-politics scandals and said the party...