Japan’s Ruling LDP Debates Ouster of Prime Minister; Heated Discussions Continue For Over 4 Hours

By Kensaku Fujiwara and Masashi Nakata / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

17:47 JST, July 29, 2025

Moves to oust Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba have gained momentum within the Liberal Democratic Party after a 4½-hour debate on Monday among party members from both chambers of the Diet.

The LDP has decided to convene a more authoritative meeting to hold Ishiba, who is also president of the LDP, accountable for the devastating defeat in the recent House of Councillors election. A de facto “recall” to move up a party leadership election is also increasingly likely.

Unmoved by speech

“I will dedicate myself to the nation and the people with a sincere heart. That is my resolve as I move forward,” Ishiba said Monday afternoon as he stood at the center of the dais in the 8th-floor hall at LDP headquarters. Other party executives were also lined up on the dais.

Hardly any applause could be heard, even after Ishiba concluded his 7-minute speech.

“I was unmoved,” a state minister said. “He needs to say something like, ‘I will take responsibility at the appropriate time’ to calm things down.”

Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama talked about evaluating the latest election, and the meeting began closed-door discussions at which attendees raised their hands one after another to express their opinions.

Upper house lawmaker Hiroshi Yamada, who is close to former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, read out Ishiba’s past remarks regarding whether other lawmakers should resign. The prime minister “should resign and prove that he is not a big liar,” Yamada said.

Ishiba had virtually demanded the resignations of then Prime Ministers Shinzo Abe and Taro Aso after the LDP suffered crushing defeats in the 2007 upper house election and the 2009 Tokyo metropolitan assembly election. When the Democratic Party of Japan was defeated in the 2010 upper house election, Ishiba told then Prime Minister Naoto Kan in a Diet session: “Don’t disrespect an election. It is the choice of the sovereign people.”

64 lawmakers speak out

According to attendees, 64 lawmakers voiced opinions at the informal meeting, with many calling for Ishiba’s resignation.

“I ask Prime Minister Ishiba to take responsibility, including your next course of action,” House of Representatives member Takako Suzuki from the former Motegi faction said.

Similar opinions followed, including a demand that the prime minister “should announce the date of his resignation” or “should run in a leadership election [to be brought forward] if he wants to stay in office.” Only a few lawmakers, including former Economic Planning Agency Director General Hajime Funada, supported Ishiba to continue his tenure.

The meeting exceeded the scheduled two hours, ultimately lasting about 4½ hours.

Ishiba told reporters after the meeting, “Regarding my own responsibility, it is important for public opinion and the party’s stance to align,” indicating his intention to consider his next course of action.

Calls for Ishiba to take responsibility have also emerged within the Cabinet.

“We must broadly renew the party,” Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato said in a speech on Monday.

De facto recall

Lawmakers demanding Ishiba’s resignation plan to accelerate their moves to oust him.

The first step is a general meeting of party members of both houses of the Diet — a venue for decision-making stipulated in the party rules.

However, even if a resolution to hold Ishiba accountable is passed at such a meeting, it would have no binding force. Therefore, the next option would be utilizing the de facto “recall provision” that would decide to move forward an election for the party leadership.

According to LDP rules, if more than half of all party members and representatives from prefectural branches demand it, an emergency leadership election can be held even during an LDP president’s term of office.

“There would be no trouble collecting enough signatures,” a former party executive said.