Japan PM to seek support at party meeting amid pressure to leave

Embattled Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to seek support on Monday at a meeting of his Liberal Democratic Party for his decision to stay on, even as pressure mounts to resign over a dismal outcome in a recent national election.

The LDP is holding a meeting of lawmakers to review the results of the House of Councillors election last week in which the ruling coalition missed its target of retaining at least an overall majority in the upper house.

The LDP and its coalition partner, the Komeito party, have already lost their majority in the more powerful House of Representatives after last year's election, meaning that opposition support is required to pass bills and budgets.

Ishiba, who became LDP chief and prime minister last year, has said it is important that he remains in office to navigate the country through what he has described as a "national crisis," citing rapidly changing political situations such as U.S. tariffs.

But pressure from within the LDP to step down has shown little sign of easing, with some party lawmakers distancing themselves from Ishiba while there is also discontent in some local chapters.

Monday's meeting, held on the last day of the six-year terms of half of the upper house's 248 members, is expected to last about two hours. Depending on how Ishiba handles the meeting, calls for his resignation could grow.

Some party members have signed documents to demand the LDP hold a decision-making plenary meeting of lawmakers from both houses to demand a leadership election at an early date. Signatures from a third of party lawmakers are required to demand such a gathering.

Those joining the move are LDP members who stood behind the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister who was gunned down during a campaign speech in 2022. Lawmakers with close ties with heavyweights such as former Prime Minister Taro Aso and former Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, who competed against Ishiba in the LDP presidential race last year, are also among the group.

Despite Ishiba's wish to stay at the helm, potential candidates to replace him have been on the move in recent days.

Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, Ishiba's archrival who ran unsuccessfully against him for the top party post, has held talks with people close to her as well as her supporter Aso.

In the July 20 election, emerging forces, including the rightwing populist party Sanseito, are believed to have siphoned off conservative support from the LDP.

With the rising cost of living and lackluster wage growth in real terms continuing to hurt households, the ruling coalition sought to woo voters with a promise of cash handouts while opposition parties called for reducing or abolishing the consumption tax.

With the LDP's internal confusion and wrangling out in the open, the public appears split over whether Ishiba should resign. Hundreds of people took to the streets outside the prime minister's office last Friday to ask him not to step down, with the hashtag "Don't quit Ishiba" trending on social media.

A recent Kyodo News poll found 51.6 percent in favor of Ishiba's resignation, compared with 45.8 percent who saw no need for it.