Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced Sunday that he will resign amid growing calls from within the Liberal Democratic Party for him to take responsibility for a pair of poor showings at the polls, putting an end to his 11-month tenure.
At a news conference Sunday evening, Ishiba said he decided to step down because tariff negotiations with the United States, an issue he has described as a "national crisis," reached a milestone on Friday.
"I've always said I will decide what to do at an appropriate timing. With U.S. tariff negotiations reaching a certain phase, I believe now is the appropriate timing," Ishiba said. "I decided to give way to the next generation."
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