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.
https://japantoday.com/category/politics/japan-ruling-party-eyes-plenary-meeting-amid-rift-over-pm-resignation
