Japan ruling party member ups pressure on PM Ishiba to step down

 

Japan ruling party member ups pressure on PM Ishiba to step down


A lawmaker of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party called Wednesday for the replacement of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, expressing concern that it will not win a crucial parliamentary election this summer under his leadership.

Shoji Nishida, a House of Councillors lawmaker who belonged to a faction led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, made the call during a closed-door meeting of LDP members, a participant said.

"We cannot fight the upper house election under the current leadership. We should hold a presidential race and choose a new leader," Nishida was quoted as saying at the meeting.

Nishida told reporters afterward that former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, who was defeated by Ishiba in the LDP's presidential election last year, would be a leading candidate. Nishida endorsed Takaichi in the election.

"Voters already delivered a verdict when we were defeated in the House of Representatives election last year. It's unthinkable that he can be the public face of our party again," Nishida said.

Half of the 248 upper house seats will be contested this summer, with the focus on whether the ruling coalition of the LDP and the Komeito party will be able to maintain control of the chamber after losing its majority in the more powerful lower house in October.

Ishiba's minority government has faced an uphill battle in securing support from opposition parties for bills and budgets.

Last week, he decided to shelve a plan to raise medical costs in response to stiff resistance from opposition lawmakers and patients worried they would no longer be able to afford the treatment they are currently receiving for cancer and other medical conditions.

The about-face has added to growing concern within the ruling party about Ishiba's ability to lead a minority government, with his public support ratings low.

Shigeharu Aoyama, also an LDP upper house member, told a radio program on Wednesday that Ishiba must take "political responsibility" after the recent change on medical costs.

At a party convention on Sunday, Ishiba called for party unity in the run-up to the upper house election, saying the LDP must humbly listen to the people and restore trust following a slush funds scandal.

Takaichi was among LDP members who expressed dissatisfaction with the speech, saying it lacked a "punch line" showing a policy vision.

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