石破茂决定辞去自民党总裁职务

Core Points - Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation as the president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan during a press conference on September 7, 2023, citing responsibility for the party's losses in the July Senate elections [1] - Ishiba's decision aims to prevent further division within the LDP and he will initiate the election of a new party president [1] - Despite his resignation, Ishiba stated he will continue to fulfill his responsibilities to the public until a new president is elected [1] Election Context - Ishiba was elected as the LDP president in September 2022, with a term set to end in September 2027 [1] - The ruling coalition of the LDP and Komeito lost its majority in both the House of Representatives elections in October 2022 and the Senate elections in July 2023 [1] - Following the Senate election defeat, there was increasing pressure within the LDP for Ishiba to resign and hold an early presidential election [1] Previous Statements - Ishiba had previously expressed the need to remain in office to avoid a political vacuum due to ongoing issues such as tariff negotiations with the United States [2] - On September 7, he indicated that these issues have reached a temporary resolution, making it an appropriate time for him to step down and allow for a successor [2]