'Decided to resign': Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba steps down as LDP President; hopes to avoid party split

Under mounting pressure from the LDP following a significant defeat in the upper house elections, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation. This decision, made after resisting calls for over a month, avoids a potential no-confidence vote. Ishiba's short tenure was marked by declining approval ratings and economic challenges, including rising rice prices, leading to his swift downfall.