Weeks after the Liberal Democratic Party’s poor performance in an Upper House election, it remains unclear if Shigeru Ishiba can resist rising calls for him to quit as party president and subsequently as prime minister.
His political survival likely hinges on whether a party leadership race will take place following the LDP’s decision to have its election committee canvass the opinions of party members and prefectural chapters on the subject.
There is only one clear way to force an election midway through Ishiba’s term as party president, which ends in September 2027 — the recall clause in the LDP presidential election rules. He could also resign voluntarily but so far, he has insisted that he will remain in office.
