Japanese Prime Minister Shiger Ishiba said on Monday that he would remain in the office despite a significant loss in a major elections to the upper house of the Japanese parliament.
In Sunday’s vote Ishib’s Liberal Democratic Party and her coalition partner Komeito dropped by three seats, which secured most of the upper chamber with 248 seats. As a result, the coalition now holds a minority in both chambers of the diet, although LDP remains the dominant party.
Ishiba acknowledged the defeat and said he was taking the result seriously.
However, he noted that it was important to prevent “political vacuum” and address key issues such as “rising living costs and the upcoming period of 1 August for a customs agreement with the United States”.
US President Donald Trump puts pressure on Tokyo by criticizing the slow pace of business negotiations and limited sales of American cars and American rice to Japan, even though Japan is experiencing a lack of domestic rice.
“Although I feel painfully responsible for the results of the elections, I believe that I also have to fulfill my responsibility, which I do not know for the country and people, not to cause politics to stop or run,” Ishiba said. “Challenges such as global situation and natural disasters will not wait for a better political situation.”
Prime Minister Ishiba signaled his intention to seek direct conversations with Trump and promote specific progress in the store, and reiterated that the emphasis should focus more on increasing investments rather than storage of tariffs.
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He added that he would try to achieve an agreement with the US on tariffs while protecting “national interests”.
With less than two weeks before the new tariff sweeps, they are going into force, the highest negotiator of Ishibina Ryosei Akazawa is heading to Washington on Monday to restore interviews with American officials.
The journey reflects the ongoing strategy of maximizing engagement with American negotiators. Akazawa has traveled to the US seven times and covered more than 90,000 miles, but has reduced progress to secure the breakthrough.
“We will achieve an agreement that is beneficial for both Japan and the US, based on the concept of investment rather than tariffs,” Ishiba said.
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68 -year -old leader said he did not plan to expand his coalition, but will cooperate with opposition parties to deal with voters’ concerns about inflation. However, he warned that tax changes would not provide immediate assistance to households.
The Prime Minister said he hopes to achieve a mutually beneficial agreement and fulfill Trump and added: “Any agreement on tariffs must be fair for both Japan and for the US.”
The right -wing Sanseito party won 14 seats.
Sanseito wants “stricter rules and limits” of immigration, against “radical” gender policy and wants to reconsider decarbonization and vaccines.
LDP TENSHI (80 years) advocated AFP that the opening of a new management competition would now be a “losing battle” for the party and make business negotiations with Trump’s administration more difficult.
“Diplomacy is under pressure at the moment,” said Shuhei Aono. “Who will take care of it? I don’t think (iShiba) can step up so easily.”
Read also: Donald Trump announces 25% of tariffs for imports from Japan
After years of flat or falling prices, consumers in the fourth largest economy in the world were severely affected by inflation after the Russian invasion of Ukraine from 2022.
The contribution to pressure persists in public frustration over the LDP scandal of financing and the imminent deposit of 25 % of US tariffs that take effect of 1 August if a trade agreement is not reached.
Although I feel painfully my serious responsibility for the results of the elections, I believe that I must also meet my responsibility, which I do not know for the country and people, not to cause politics to stop or leave.
Japanese imports already face 10 % of the tariff and the vital automotive industry in the country, responsible for approximately 8 % of all jobs, fights under an existing 25 % fee.
(With the entry from agencies)
(Tagstotranslate) Japanese Prime Minister (T) Shiger Ishiba
