Key Facts
• September 4: Yuko Obuchi, LDP’s Organizational Movement Chief, resigns over election loss.
• Since September 2: Four senior LDP officials, including Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama, also resigned.
• Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba faces calls for early leadership election or resignation.
• Taro Aso, LDP senior advisor, demands early leadership election during a speech on September 3.
• Opposition parties speculate Ishiba may dissolve the House of Representatives for a general election.
• Kiyomi Tsujimoto, Deputy Leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, criticizes LDP’s internal conflicts.
• Tsujimoto highlights lack of progress on inflation measures like gas tax cuts.
• Tsujimoto suggests Ishiba’s options are limited to resignation or dissolving parliament.
Summary
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) faces a leadership crisis following its defeat in the House of Councillors election. Yuko Obuchi, the party’s Organizational Movement Chief, resigned on September 4, joining four other senior officials who stepped down earlier. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is under pressure to either resign or call an early leadership election, with senior advisor Taro Aso advocating for the latter. Opposition leaders, including Kiyomi Tsujimoto of the Constitutional Democratic Party, criticized the LDP’s internal turmoil, citing a lack of focus on pressing issues like inflation and gas tax reductions. Tsujimoto expressed sympathy for Ishiba but emphasized his responsibility to resolve the crisis, suggesting his options are limited to resignation or dissolving parliament for a general election.
