key takeaways
- Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru announced his intention to step down on Sunday, 7 September, preempting what was likely to be an overwhelming defeat in a vote on whether to hold an early election.
- The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will move quickly to set the rules and schedule for a new leadership election.
- The LDP faces a difficult choice, as it seeks a leader who can unify the party, restore public trust, and work with opposition parties to restore the government’s control of the Diet.
- Koizumi Shinjirō likely enters as the favorite, but could still face strong challenges from conservative Takaichi Sanae and others.
Japan Foresight 