Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has pledged to stay in power to oversee the implementation of a new Japan-US tariff deal, despite mounting media speculation and calls for his resignation following a historic defeat for his ruling party.
Mr Ishiba held a meeting at party headquarters with influential figures from his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and former prime ministers Taro Aso, Fumio Kishida and Yoshihide Suga.
He later told reporters that there was no discussion of his possible resignation or a fight for new leadership in the party; the conversation focused on the election results, voter discontent and the importance of avoiding internal conflicts in the party.
Despite his usual businesslike manner, Mr Ishiba faces mounting pressure to consider resigning after the LDP and junior coalition partner Komeito lost their majority in elections to the 248-member upper house, weakening his influence.
This comes after a defeat in the more powerful lower house of parliament in October, and his coalition now lacks a majority in both houses, further complicating the government's policy-making and increasing political instability in Japan.
Mr Ishiba has expressed his intention to stay on to resolve pressing issues, including tariff talks with the US, to avoid a political vacuum, despite demands for his immediate resignation from both within and outside his party.
Mr Ishiba “continues to say he will stay. What is the public's opinion of the election results?” commented Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the increasingly popular Democratic Party for the People (DPP).
In the LDP, a group of young politicians led by Yasutaka Nakasone has launched a signature campaign calling for Mr Ishiba's early resignation and his reinstatement as party leader.
“We all feel the crisis and believe that the election results were an ultimatum from the voters,” he added.
Japanese media reports say Mr Ishiba is likely to announce plans to step down in August.
The conservative Yomiuri newspaper reported in a special edition on Wednesday that Mr Ishiba had decided to announce his resignation by the end of July after receiving a detailed report from his top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa on the impact of US tariffs on the Japanese economy, clearing the way for a new party leader.
Mr Ishiba denied the reports and said he would focus on the trade deal with the US, which covers more than 4,000 products that affect many Japanese
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
