Ishiba Cabinet Resigns; LDP-Komeito Coalition Ends

Tokyo, Oct. 21 (Jiji Press)–The cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned en masse Tuesday morning. The development marked Komeito’s departure from the Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling coalition and an end to their 26-year partnership, which started in 1999. New LDP President Sanae Takaichi is expected be elected new prime minister by the Diet, Japan’s parliament, Tuesday afternoon and launch her cabinet later in the day. Takaichi was elected the party’s leader Oct. 4 to replace Ishiba. Ishiba was in office for 386 days as prime minister, and his tenure was the 24th longest among the 36 prime ministers who took office after World War II. Ishiba’s tenure exceeded 384 days for former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga because he remained in the post for an extended period after quitting as LDP president amid political confusion partly reflecting Komeito’s decision to leave the ruling coalition. Ishiba dissolved the House of Representatives for a snap election soon after becoming prime minister Oct. 1, 2024. But the LDP-Komeito coalition suffered a crushing defeat in the general election to lose its majority in the all-important lower chamber of the Diet due to deep-rooted public distrust of the LDP in the wake of the party’s “slush funds” scandal. After that, the Ishiba administration worked hard on tariff negotiations with the United States, among other things. The LDP and Komeito, however, lost their combined majority in the House of Councillors in the Upper House election in July this year, and Ishiba announced in early September his decision to step down as he gave in to calls for his resignation from within the LDP. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]