Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight Shigeru Ishiba last week decided to step down as the head of his faction.
While at face value this means that he will no longer lead the 19-member group within the party, his decision has left many wondering what else this may portend in terms of LDP factional politics and Ishiba’s future political prospects.
After all, Ishiba has long sought to become Japan’s prime minister and, despite his failure to achieve the top billet, he remains one of the most popular LDP politicians among voters.