Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday denied media reports claiming that he plans to resign soon.
«There were no discussions regarding my future. Such reports appeared in some media outlets, but I never made such statements,» Ishiba told reporters at the headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Japanese media reported earlier in the day that Ishiba plans to resign following the ruling coalition’s defeat in the recent upper house elections and could announce the decision by the end of July or August.
On Sunday, the Japanese ruling coalition of the LDP and the Komeito party failed to secure the 50 seats they needed for parliamentary majority in the upper house. The ruling coalition now has 122 of 248 seats, compared to 141 seats before the election. The opposition, on the other hand, has significantly increased its presence in the upper house, now holding 126 seats.
Despite the loss, the LDP remains the largest party in the upper house, holding 101 seats, including those that were not up for re-election. The main opposition force, the Constitutional Democratic Party, has 38 seats.
Shortly after the election, the prime minister said he had no plans to resign, reshape the government or expand the coalition.
