Japan Prime Minister, Ishiba Resigns

Less than three weeks after hosting Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu and some other African leaders at the 9th edition of the Toyko International Conference on African Development, TICAD, 

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his resignation.

At an emergency press conference at his office, Ishiba who has been in the post for just under a year said he wants the process of selecting a successor by his party to commence immediately.

The 68-year old has faced pressure to resign since his Liberal Democrat Party’s defeat in July’s upper house election, and  he had taken responsibility.

“I am truly ashamed for failing to meet the expectations of those who elected me as LDP president in September  last year”.

A slush scandal has plagued his party following last year’s lower house election, and he referenced this in his announcement.

“We have yet to dispel public distrust. This weighs most heavily on my mind”.

The decision by Ishiba comes a day before his Party was expected to vote on whether to hold an internal leadership vote that could have forced him out.

He however said he said fulfilled following the conclusion of tariff negotiations with the U.S. adding that it was the appropriate moment to step down.

“While this agreement has laid the foundation for securing Japan’s economic security and accelerating economic growth, it is not the end.”

Ishiba will however stay on till the LDP which lost its majority in parliament selects a successor, who will have to be approved by lawmakers.