Japan has seen three prime ministers in five years

Japanese Prime Minister Shigro Ishiba announced his resignation less than a year after this role – after two losses in the overwhelming elections in the mid -term elections.

His resignation came one day before the opponents of his liberal democratic party (LDP), who was expected to vote.

The theater leaves him in another competition to lead the ruling party in Tokyo, and the third in five years. This is regardless of national elections – none of the winners completed his term.

But the future leader in the future is now facing an arduous task – achieving a balance between the relations between the United States and Japan, the high inflation and the cost of a living crisis, and a government that lost its majority in the parliament.

In 2020, Yoshiheed Suja – who was formerly the Secretary of the party of the party – rose to the role after the resignation of the surprise from the late Shinzo Abe, who resigned due to health issues.

Just one year later, SUGA resigned due to a decrease in opinion polls – Fumio Kishida, who then went to win the elections in late 2021.

But Kishida did not last long as well – his popularity decreased in the wake of the corruption scandal that involves the liberal Democratic Party, the high costs of living and the declining yen.

In 2024, he was replaced by Aishiba – who announced plans to hold early elections a few days after its election, saying that “it is important for people to judge the new administration as soon as possible.”

And judge him, they did.

Many of the voters were still angry because of the corruption scandal that was involved in the senior members of the Liberal Democratic Party, and they were struggling to deal with increased inflation and the cost of the living crisis. They handed over the worst social democratic Party as a result of more than a decade It caused the loss of the majority of one party in the strong lower home.

Earlier this year, the Democratic Democratic Party suffered another defeat in the Senate parliamentary elections, as it lost its majority as well.

Ishiba resisted his calls to step down at the beginning, saying that he needed to take responsibility for the losses of the liberal Democratic Party and deal with a trade deal with Washington.

But on Sunday – before the internal leadership vote that could have been forced to go out – bend, and announced his resignation.

“The voices were escalating from within the party that the Prime Minister should bear responsibility … [and] Tomohiko Tanigucci, a professor who was specially appointed to the University of Tsukuba and a special adviser to the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“Instead of waiting for the general humiliation, Ishiba chose to step down,” said Dr. Tanigucci.

The LDP vote is expected to be in early October, as it became the winner of certainty that he becomes prime minister.

No one announced his intention to run, but there are three names that appeared as potential competitors.

they: Cengero Koizumi, Agricultural Minister and the son of the famous former Prime Minister; Yoshimasa HayshiPrime Minister; and Sanae Takaichi, Who will be the first prime minister in Japan if she wins.

The three had faced Ishiba in the former presidential race in 2024 – with Takaychi appeared at the beginning as the strongest candidate in the first round of the votes.

However, Takaychi – a close ally of Abi – was later overwhelmed by Ishiba.

The 64 -year -old is a militant portfolio and knows that he opposes gay marriage. Its positions on women’s issues are in line with the policy of the liberal Democratic Party of women’s work in traditional roles.

There is also 44 -year -old Cuizumi, the son of Junishiro Koizumi, who was very popular when he held the position of Prime Minister from 2001 to 2006.

The younger Koizumi from the new face is a friend of media and popular online, as it is famous for publishing cat’s photos.

Then there is a 64 -year -old Hayshi, who works as senior government spokesman in his pivotal role as Minister of Cabinet.

“You have an extremist group of candidates where one is very conservative, one of which is a non -laboratory politician,” said Dr. Tanigucci. “Then there is Hayshi, someone is not inflamed but more experienced and tested.”

Other names that have been floated for the former Foreign Minister include Toshimitsu Moteci And the former Minister of Economic Security Takayuki Kobayashi.

The new leader faces the challenge of combining a weak party – and a person who can return voters to the Democratic Democratic Party.

Japan is currently witnessing a drift towards the far right, with Nationalism Sansito He appeared as one of the largest winners of the Senate parliamentary elections in Japan.

A large part of the Sansito voter base was conservative voters who were withdrawn away from the liberal Democratic Party.

“Prime Minister Ishiba was not conservative enough by many of Abe’s supporters,” Jeffrey Hall, a lecturer at the University of Canda for International Studies.

“They believe he does not have national views on history, and he does not have strong views against China that was Abe.”

A lot turned into ends like Sanseito as a result.

“The fact that they have succeeded in obtaining more votes indicating the frustration of voters who were supporting the Free Democratic Party, but they chose to leave and go to a newly formed party and have not been tested yet,” said Dr. Tangucci.

“The biggest mission for the next LDP leader is to return these voters.”

It also comes at a time when the country deals with the high cost of the living crisis amid weak weakness.

“The Japanese are not used to inflation, so even the small amount is shocked. For many ordinary voters, Japan feels that it has become a poorest country – prices rise but wages do not rise, and with twice the yen, those who go abroad will find everything very expensive,” said Professor James Brown of the University of Timbel, Japan.

The next Prime Minister will also have to move in the difficult Tokyo relationships with his neighbors.

Earlier last week, China celebrated its “Victory Day” procession – on the occasion of 80 years of defeating Japan at the end of World War II – which was attended by leaders such as Kim Jong Un and Russia Vladimir Putin.

“You see three threats, including a nuclear armed state, and the last celebration [in China] “For his victory over Japan,” said Professor Brown.

“Whether the leader is more nationalist like Takaychi or the next generation like Quizumi … endurance will be monitored from the triple cooperation between Tokyo, Washington and Seoul closely after observing Xi, Putin and Kim clearly for solidarity.

Even Japan’s relationship with its long -term ally, the United States can get tense.

US President Donald Trump demanded earlier this year that Tokyo pay more in exchange for the localization of American forces in Japan.

“[Amid all this happening]There is little despair in the audience. There is no great hope that a different leader will make any big difference. Professor Brown says many people think it is just the same old story, only with a different LDP leader. “

In the past two decades, Japan has seen more than 10 prime ministers.

Professor Brown says this is partly due to being a “unilateral democracy.”

“With regard to the government, it was not the case in LDP – this means that the main political competition comes from within the party, not from the external parties.

Therefore, there are evil conflicts within different factions – they all want their faction to get the higher position.

“Although you may be chosen as a leader, as soon as you are in the office, you have dozens of people who make a mane to try to get you out again.”

Professor Brown adds: “Whatever he is the leadership will drink from the” Poisoned Cup “, Professor Brown adds.

With attention now to the replacement of Ishiba, many are also waiting to know if the next leader can break the seminar in Japan.