Ishiba Again Says He will Remain Prime Minister, with Criticism from LDP Lawmakers Mounting over His ‘Clinging to Power’

By Masashi Nakata and Ryuichi Sato / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

16:29 JST, September 3, 2025

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed anew his intention to stay in office Tuesday, after the Liberal Democratic Party issued a summary report into its defeat in July’s House of Councillors election.

“I will make a decision on my responsibility at the appropriate time, but first I will devote all my efforts to what the people want me to do,” Ishiba, who also is the Liberal Democratic Party president, told reporters Tuesday at the Prime Minister’s Office.

With his intention made clear, the focus within the LDP has shifted to whether to hold an extraordinary leadership election, which would effectively be a call for his resignation by the party. The rift is deepening between Ishiba, who has doggedly refused to step down, and the lawmakers demanding an early election.

Resolve sparks confusion

Ishiba apologized repeatedly for the crushing defeat in the July election, bowing deeply for about five seconds.

“I offer my deepest apologies from the bottom of my heart. This was truly regrettable,” Ishiba said at the start of a general meeting of LDP Diet members from both chambers on Tuesday afternoon.

However, he then immediately shifted gears, saying, “And yet …” before speaking of his desire to remain in office. Confusion quickly spread throughout the hall on the eighth floor of the LDP party headquarters.

After the opening address, the meeting was closed to the press and a succession of attendees reportedly voiced dissatisfaction.

According to a young lawmaker present, in response to Ishiba saying such things as “I am not clinging to my positions,” and “I will make a decision at the appropriate time,” an attendee called out, “You should clarify your plans right here!”

A total of 35 people spoke during the meeting, which lasted about three hours.

Ishiba’s remarks stoked strong opposition within the party, with one mid-level member saying, “This is a complete refusal to step down.”

After the meeting, about ten LDP lawmakers that have been elected to the House of Representatives five times convened at the Diet building and analyzed the party’s internal divide over holding an extraordinary leadership election.

One of the 10 said, “Not only the five-time elected members, but nearly all members who have been elected four times or less are in favor of holding a leadership election.”

Jump in polls boosts confidence

Recent opinion polls released by various media outlets seem to have boosted Ishiba’s confidence in staying in office.

With Cabinet approval ratings reported to have risen in August, Ishiba grew increasingly dissatisfied with the calls for his resignation within his party and told those around him, “The voices within the party and public opinion are different.”

Lawmakers close to the prime minister have also worked hard to deter moves to oust Ishiba. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Tuesday at a press conference following a Cabinet meeting: “Public opinion polls show understanding for the prime minister’s continued leadership. A leadership election should not be brought forward.”

If a leadership election is decided, some hardline voices have suggested Ishiba dissolve the lower house and call a general election instead.

At Tuesday’s general meeting, upper house lawmaker Muneo Suzuki told Ishiba, “It would be better to dissolve [the lower house] and seek the confidence of the 120 million citizens rather than the 1 million LDP members.”

These hardline voices sparked a backlash in the meeting with one attendee saying that the prime minister’s side had warned that those occupying one of three highest ranks in a ministry — minister, state minister and parliamentary vice-minister — “would have to submit their resignations” if they were in favor of a leadership election.

Ishiba then tried to calm the situation and said, “Everyone is free to make their own decision.”

Pressure on Ishiba ineffectual

The deepening division within the party is said to have made Ishiba more determined to stay in office.

When LDP Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama and three other party executives announced their willingness to resign after the general meeting, Ishiba reportedly listened with a displeased expression. The party sees that even an effort by those around Ishiba to pressure him to announce his resignation “is not resonating with the prime minister himself.”

Holding an extraordinary leadership election effectively removes the incumbent prime minister and LDP president from the positions. Many had hoped for a voluntary resignation, with a party heavyweight noting that “past presidents have chosen to step down themselves.”

Tuesday’s general meeting was seen as Ishiba’s “last chance” to announce his resignation. Him not doing so means the next key moment will be when the decision on holding the leadership election is be made, which will be on Monday at the latest.

Prolonged internal conflict could invite criticism from voters. “Having moved between parties in the past, the prime minister may have little attachment to this party and feels little sense of crisis about it breaking apart,” a veteran lawmaker said.