石破いしば首相しゅしょう 辞任じにん表明ひょうめい 茂木もぎ前ぜん幹事かんじ長ちょうが総裁そうさい選せん立候補りっこうほの意向いこう固かためる

Prime Minister Ishiba announced his intention to resign as Prime Minister on the 7th, stating that the response to the U.S. tariff measures has reached a conclusion.

Within the Liberal Democratic Party, discussions are being held regarding the presidential election to choose a successor, and former Secretary-General Motegi has decided to run for the position.

Prime Minister Ishiba held a press conference on the 7th and said, I have always stated that I would make a decision at the appropriate timing.

I believe that now is the right time, as negotiations regarding the U.S. tariff measures have reached a turning point, and I have decided to step aside and make way for my successors, he said, expressing his intention to resign as Prime Minister.

Furthermore, taking into account that a written request for an extraordinary presidential election was scheduled to be submitted on the 8th, he explained, If things proceed as they are, it could create a decisive division within the party, which is not my true intention.

In response to this, the Liberal Democratic Party is expected to hold an executive meeting and a presidential election management committee meeting on the morning of the 8th, cancel the scheduled procedures, and then discuss the format and schedule of the presidential election to choose a successor to Prime Minister Ishiba.

Within the Liberal Democratic Party, some voices are saying that a party member vote should be held in order to reflect the opinions of party members and make this an opportunity to revitalize the party. Secretary-General Moriyama stated, It is important to explore ways for as many party members as possible to participate directly.

However, the Komeito Party and opposition parties have pointed out that a political vacuum should not be prolonged for the convenience of the Liberal Democratic Party, and that it is necessary to create an environment where measures against rising prices and other issues can be discussed as soon as possible.

On the other hand, moves toward running in the party presidential election have also begun.

Former Secretary-General Motegi has decided to run for office again this year, as he wants to use his political experience to help revitalize the party.

They plan to hold a press conference within the week to announce their approach to rebuilding the party, collaborating with other opposition parties, and their economic policies.

Former Minister for Economic Security Takayuki Kobayashi also said, It is urgent to build a system in which both veterans and younger members can come together solidly as One LDP.

I want to thoroughly discuss this with my colleagues, he said.

Furthermore, attention is focused on the movements of former Minister for Economic Security Takaichi, who competed with Prime Minister Ishiba in the runoff of last years party leadership election; Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Koizumi, who received the most votes from lawmakers in the first round; as well as Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi and others.

Data broadcasting is not available.

In the recent House of Councillors election, there was an intense debate over whether to provide benefits or implement tax cuts.

Of these, regarding the provisional gasoline tax rate, six ruling and opposition parties have agreed to abolish it within the year and are holding discussions, but debates are stalling over issues such as securing financial resources.

Furthermore, details such as the specific design for providing benefits and whether to implement a consumption tax reduction are expected to be discussed going forward, with the main focus being how to support households.

In addition to these immediate measures, another challenge is whether we can create an economy where wages consistently outpace prices.

In the spring wage negotiations, high-level wage increases have continued, and due to a significant raise in the minimum wage, the hourly wage will exceed 1,000 yen in all prefectures.

However, it has been pointed out that real wages have often remained in negative territory until recently, and consumption also lacks strength. Therefore, policies that lead to sustainable wage increases and improvements in productivity are also being called for.

The government has been aiming to curb prices this year by releasing reserve rice, and last month fundamentally revised its policy and announced a shift towards increasing rice production.

As the distribution of new rice becomes full-scale in the future, the focus will be on whether rice prices will stabilize and whether a system can be established for both producers and consumers to feel satisfied regarding increased rice production.

We are also required to respond to the U.S. tariff measures.

In response to the agreement reached in the Japan-U.S. negotiations over tariff measures, President Trump signed an executive order last week to lower tariffs on automobiles and other products to 15%.

However, it is expected that the impact of tariffs will start to become apparent across a wide range of industries from now on, and issues such as whether the impact can be minimized and how to support companies’ cash flow are becoming challenges.

The Ishiba administration devoted itself to the difficult negotiations with the United States over tariffs in the area of foreign affairs, achieving a Japan-U.S. agreement. Domestically, despite operating as a minority ruling party, it engaged in earnest discussions between the ruling and opposition parties, successfully passing this years budget and various bills.

On top of that, there are a mountain of urgent and important policy issues both at home and abroad.

I hope that the new leader chosen in the party presidential election will unite the party, establish a stable political structure, and swiftly implement policies.

Support for small and medium-sized enterprises facing rising prices and supply chain issues due to U.S. tariff measures cannot be delayed, and it is essential to implement seamless policies.

On top of that, it states, “We strongly hope that the Diet will swiftly select the next Prime Minister through responsible discussions by each political party in order to resolve the political vacuum as soon as possible, and that a new administration capable of responding to the trust of the people will be established.”