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Japan Today
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
Japan ruling party eyes plenary meeting amid rift over PM resignation
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba attends a press conference at the headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Tokyo. Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party decided Tuesday to hold a plenary meeting of its parliamentary members soon, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba insists on remaining in office despite calls from among his party to step down following a devastating national election loss. The joint plenary meeting of members of both houses of the Diet is one of the LDP's decision-making bodies. A similar gathering was held on Monday in a less formal setting where many members called on Ishiba, the LDP president, to step down. The upcoming gathering could put further pressure on Ishiba, who has stressed the need to avoid a political vacuum at a time when the nation is facing a host of challenges, including the imposition of U.S. tariffs on Japanese imports. "It all comes down to explaining myself carefully, sincerely and without running away," Ishiba said. LDP Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama told reporters that details, such as the date and agenda of the meeting, have yet to be set. Asked whether a joint plenary meeting has the authority to call for a snap party leadership election, Moriyama said it would involve a "very complex" process. The gathering is designated as a forum to discuss and decide in a majority vote on "particularly important" matters regarding the party's management and Diet affairs, according to the party's rules. In an emergency situation, such as when the head of the LDP resigns during a presidential term, a joint plenary meeting can elect a new party chief, substituting for a party convention. Although the ruling bloc no longer holds a majority in either chamber of parliament, a newly elected LDP president would still have a chance of becoming prime minister as the party and its smaller coalition partner Komeito are the largest force in the more powerful House of Representatives. Some LDP members have been collecting signatures to urge the leadership to hold a formal plenary meeting in their bid to hold Ishiba accountable. On Monday, LDP lawmakers from both houses of parliament held a meeting with party executives to discuss the outcome of the recent election and vent their feelings toward the leadership. It lasted well over four hours. The LDP's internal wrangling is expected to continue at a busy time for the government. An extraordinary Diet session will begin on Friday to select the upper house's new president following the July 20 election, which resulted in the LDP-Komeito bloc losing its majority and smaller opposition parties, including rightwing populist party Sanseito, increasing their presence. Ishiba is scheduled to explain to parliament the details of a trade agreement recently reached between Japan and the United States. The Japanese prime minister will also attend ceremonies to mark the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well as the end of World War II. By the end of August, the LDP is set to complete an internal review of the upper house election setback. Moriyama, the party's No.2 executive, has hinted at stepping down after the review. © KYODO
Asahi Shimbun
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Saitama calls for temporary halt on visa waiver pact with Turkey
Saitama Governor Motohiro Ono speaks before Diet members elected from the prefecture during a meeting in Tokyo on July 28. (Masahide Miyajima) The governor of Saitama Prefecture requested a temporary suspension of the mutual visa waiver agreement between Japan and Turkey, indicating that crimes by Turkish nationals are causing anxiety among local residents. Governor Motohiro Ono made the request on July 28 at a meeting with Diet members representing the prefecture designed to convey the prefecture's national policy requests to the Diet. The visa waiver agreement allows Turkish and Japanese nationals to make short-term visits to each other's countries for tourism and other purposes without a visa. 'Some foreign nationals enter Japan under the visa waiver agreement and continue to stay by repeatedly applying for refugee status without valid grounds for being recognized,' Ono said. He said there have been cases in which such individuals commit crimes, spreading concern among residents. The prefecture called on the Diet members to 'carefully reconsider (the agreement) in light of the current situation and suspend it temporarily, if necessary.' In Saitama Prefecture, Kurds with a Turkish nationality, many of whom are seeking refugee status, have formed large communities in and around the cities of Kawaguchi and Warabi. According to the prefectural government, 31.1 percent of Turkish nationals residing in Japan live in Saitama Prefecture. In 2024, Turkish citizens made up the largest group, by nationality, of repeat applicants for refugee status, individuals denied refugee status and those provisionally released from detention at an immigration facility. After the meeting, Ono said, 'It's a fact that (some) Turkish nationals have repeatedly applied for refugee status and that (Turkish) people who cannot accept the situation are raising public concern.' (This article was written by Masahide Miyajima and Shun Nakamura.)
Kyodo News
a day ago
- Politics
- Kyodo News
Japan ruling party eyes plenary meeting amid rift over PM resignation
TOKYO - Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party decided Tuesday to hold a plenary meeting of its parliamentary members soon, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba insists on remaining in office despite calls from among his party to step down following a devastating national election loss. The joint plenary meeting of members of both houses of the Diet is one of the LDP's decision-making bodies. A similar gathering was held on Monday in a less formal setting where many members called on Ishiba, the LDP president, to step down. The upcoming gathering could put further pressure on Ishiba, who has stressed the need to avoid a political vacuum at a time when the nation is facing a host of challenges, including the imposition of U.S. tariffs on Japanese imports. "It all comes down to explaining myself carefully, sincerely and without running away," Ishiba said. LDP Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama told reporters that details, such as the date and agenda of the meeting, have yet to be set. Asked whether a joint plenary meeting has the authority to call for a snap party leadership election, Moriyama said it would involve a "very complex" process. The gathering is designated as a forum to discuss and decide in a majority vote on "particularly important" matters regarding the party's management and Diet affairs, according to the party's rules. In an emergency situation, such as when the head of the LDP resigns during a presidential term, a joint plenary meeting can elect a new party chief, substituting for a party convention. Although the ruling bloc no longer holds a majority in either chamber of parliament, a newly elected LDP president would still have a chance of becoming prime minister as the party and its smaller coalition partner Komeito are the largest force in the more powerful House of Representatives. Some LDP members have been collecting signatures to urge the leadership to hold a formal plenary meeting in their bid to hold Ishiba accountable. On Monday, LDP lawmakers from both houses of parliament held a meeting with party executives to discuss the outcome of the recent election and vent their feelings toward the leadership. It lasted well over four hours. The LDP's internal wrangling is expected to continue at a busy time for the government. An extraordinary Diet session will begin on Friday to select the upper house's new president following the July 20 election, which resulted in the LDP-Komeito bloc losing its majority and smaller opposition parties, including rightwing populist party Sanseito, increasing their presence. Ishiba is scheduled to explain to parliament the details of a trade agreement recently reached between Japan and the United States. The Japanese prime minister will also attend ceremonies to mark the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well as the end of World War II. By the end of August, the LDP is set to complete an internal review of the upper house election setback. Moriyama, the party's No.2 executive, has hinted at stepping down after the review.
The Mainichi
a day ago
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Japan ruling party eyes plenary meeting amid rift over PM resignation
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party decided Tuesday to hold a plenary meeting of its parliamentary members soon, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba insists on remaining in office despite calls from among his party to step down following a devastating national election loss. The joint plenary meeting of members of both houses of the Diet is one of the LDP's decision-making bodies. A similar gathering was held on Monday in a less formal setting where many members called on Ishiba, the LDP president, to step down. The upcoming gathering could put further pressure on Ishiba, who has stressed the need to avoid a political vacuum at a time when the nation is facing a host of challenges, including the imposition of U.S. tariffs on Japanese imports. "It all comes down to explaining myself carefully, sincerely and without running away," Ishiba said. LDP Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama told reporters that details, such as the date and agenda of the meeting, have yet to be set. Asked whether a joint plenary meeting has the authority to call for a snap party leadership election, Moriyama said it would involve a "very complex" process. The gathering is designated as a forum to discuss and decide in a majority vote on "particularly important" matters regarding the party's management and Diet affairs, according to the party's rules. In an emergency situation, such as when the head of the LDP resigns during a presidential term, a joint plenary meeting can elect a new party chief, substituting for a party convention. Although the ruling bloc no longer holds a majority in either chamber of parliament, a newly elected LDP president would still have a chance of becoming prime minister as the party and its smaller coalition partner Komeito are the largest force in the more powerful House of Representatives. Some LDP members have been collecting signatures to urge the leadership to hold a formal plenary meeting in their bid to hold Ishiba accountable. On Monday, LDP lawmakers from both houses of parliament held a meeting with party executives to discuss the outcome of the recent election and vent their feelings toward the leadership. It lasted well over four hours. The LDP's internal wrangling is expected to continue at a busy time for the government. An extraordinary Diet session will begin on Friday to select the upper house's new president following the July 20 election, which resulted in the LDP-Komeito bloc losing its majority and smaller opposition parties, including rightwing populist party Sanseito, increasing their presence. Ishiba is scheduled to explain to parliament the details of a trade agreement recently reached between Japan and the United States. The Japanese prime minister will also attend ceremonies to mark the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well as the end of World War II. By the end of August, the LDP is set to complete an internal review of the upper house election setback. Moriyama, the party's No.2 executive, has hinted at stepping down after the review.
Yomiuri Shimbun
a day ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
LDP Lawmakers Meeting: Does The Prime Minister Want To See Trust in The Party Plunge?
If internal strife continues, the Liberal Democratic Party as a whole could be abandoned by the people. Is this what its president wants? The only way to settle the confusion would be for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to announce as quickly as possible his intention to resign. At an informal meeting of LDP lawmakers from both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, Ishiba said, 'I will face the future with the resolve to dedicate myself to the nation and the people,' emphasizing his determination to continue to run the government. He explained his reasoning by citing the need to address issues such as U.S. tariff measures, rice policy and debates over social security and taxes. In response, a succession of lawmakers expressed their view that it was unreasonable for the prime minister not to take responsibility for the series of defeats — in the lower house election last year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election in June and the recent upper house election. Many also called for a general meeting of the party's lawmakers from both houses of the Diet, which is the party's formal decision-making organ, unlike the informal meeting. The Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations have concluded, although there are still outstanding issues such as the lack of a written agreement. Agricultural policy and social security reform will be important issues for any future cabinet. The prime minister's arguments do not justify his resolve to stay on. Respecting the will of the people that has been repeatedly expressed is a prerequisite for tackling policy matters. If the leader who is responsible for national politics acts as if the election never happened, trust in politics will continue to plunge. Will the LDP, which calls itself a party of the people, survive? It is being tested on its ability to cleanse itself. Within the LDP, moves to bring Ishiba down are accelerating. It is said that more than the one-third of party members in the Diet required to convene a general meeting have already signed a petition demanding one. Lawmakers critical of the prime minister are aiming to use the meeting to bring forward the LDP presidential election. There have been fierce internal party struggles in the past. A campaign to oust then Prime Minister Takeo Miki by major party factions and the '40-Day Strife' among factions during the administration of then Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira are well-known examples. However, with difficult issues such as population decline and the deteriorating security environment, there is no room for a power struggle. The prime minister has already made up his mind to step down. However, he has not decided when to announce his intention to do so. Meanwhile, demonstrations demanding the prime minister's continued tenure have been held outside the Prime Minister's Office following the upper house election. Posts such as 'Ishiba, don't resign,' have also appeared on social media. Some within the party view these activities as being conducted by forces trying to tarnish the party's reputation by stirring up internal strife, not by LDP supporters. It would be a mistake to interpret such moves as public opinion being in favor of the prime minister remaining in office. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 29, 2025)
