JAPANESE Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is planning to soon decide whether to step down after assessing progress in tariff negotiations with the United States, Yomiuri newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Ishiba is facing growing opposition from within his Liberal Democratic Party for his vow to stay in power despite the ruling coalition's bruising defeat in Sunday's upper house election.
Reuters reported that the outcome of Japan's ongoing trade talks with the U.S. will become clear this month, as negotiators rush to clinch a deal by the August 1 deadline, which could become a turning point for the administration, the paper said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday Asian hours that he had just completed a "massive" deal with Japan that included US$550 billion in investments into the United States.
According to Yomiuri Shimbun, a major Japanese newspaper, Ishiba told his close associates on Tuesday evening that he would explain how he would take responsibility for the election loss once a solution was reached on trade negotiations.
The prime minister was planning to hold a press conference to announce his decision once the tariff negotiations' outcome became clear, the newspaper reported without citing its sources.
The prime minister's official residence was not immediately available to comment on Yomiuri's report.
In explaining his decision to stay on, Ishiba has stressed the need to avoid creating a political vacuum as Japan faced challenges including difficult trade negotiations with the U.S. that would have a huge impact on the export-reliant economy.
"I will stay in office and do everything in my power to chart a path toward resolving these challenges," Ishiba said in a news conference on Monday, adding that he intended to speak directly with Trump as soon as possible and deliver tangible results.
Ishiba is expected to meet ruling party heavyweights later on Wednesday for discussions on the election outcome. - July 23, 2025
