Opposition Parties Blast Chaos Over PM Ishiba’s Resignation, But Remains Divided on No-Confidence Motion

By Kota Ifuku / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

15:07 JST, July 29, 2025

The opposition parties unanimously criticized the Liberal Democratic Party for its internal confusion over whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba would resign or remain in power, warning that it could lead to a political vacuum.

Yet, the opposition parties lack a unified stance, remaining divided on whether to submit a no-confidence motion against the Ishiba Cabinet should he remain in office.

Upcoming extraordinary session

“The LDP really needs to pull itself together. All this internal instability looks like a political vacuum. They should swiftly decide their course of action, whether he stays on or resigns,” Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki told reporters at the Diet Building on Monday.

Tamaki was criticizing the LDP’s chaotic handling of the movement to oust Ishiba, including the turmoil seen during the informal meeting held Monday by LDP lawmakers from both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors.

Junya Ogawa, secretary general of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, also urged the LDP to straighten out the situation promptly. “There is no doubt this will significantly hinder future policy implementation and national governance,” he told reporters.

Ahead of the extraordinary Diet session scheduled for Friday, the opposition parties are intensifying their criticism of the LDP. According to a CDPJ senior official, they believe that “there is no point in holding further deliberations with an administration that has lost its leadership” if Ishiba remains in office.

Tepid responses

Nevertheless, the opposition blocs have not made it clear whether Ishiba should stay in office or step down. On Monday, Hirofumi Yoshimura, the leader of the Japan Innovation Party and governor of Osaka, questioned the continuation of the prime minister’s tenure. He told reporters at the prefectural office, “Is it really good to continue [as prime minister] in this state?” However, calls for his resignation are not currently prominent.

If the opposition party were to comment on the prime minister’s future, their stance on a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet would be questioned. This could potentially force each party to make a decision.

Now that the LDP is a minority government, the opposition could pass the motion in the lower house if they make a concerted effort. This would significantly increase the likelihood of a lower house dissolution or a full Cabinet resignation.

The CDPJ, the largest opposition party, has yet to formulate a strategy for unifying the opposition. Regarding the submission of a motion, CDPJ President Yoshihiko Noda simply stated: “It’s still too early. We want to closely monitor the developments within the LDP.”

Other opposition parties are also taking a wait-and-see approach to see how the CDPJ will make a decision. While Tamaki said he wants to ascertain Noda’s judgment, Japanese Communist Party Secretary General Akira Koike said at a press conference Monday, “It’s a matter for the CDPJ to decide.”

Within the JIP, there are negative voices about submitting the no-confidence motion, with a JIP executive saying, “The Ishiba Cabinet will naturally collapse.”

The opposition is also concerned that if their actions force the prime minister to resign and further exacerbates the confusion, they could face public criticism. A mid-level DPFP lawmaker described the LDP as a “sinking ship” and said that they intend to closely monitor the LDP’s future actions.