A tough and politically bruising year for Shigeru Ishiba has ended with his resignation as Prime Minister of Japan. The LDP leader was unable to survive the fallout from two major election defeats that undermined his authority and his government.
From the moment he took office last autumn, Ishiba was on the back foot. An almost immediate election loss in the lower house set a negative tone for his premiership. A second defeat in the upper house this summer proved to be a fatal blow, empowering his critics within the party.
Faced with plummeting approval ratings and a planned move by his own MPs to oust him, Ishiba announced he would step aside. His departure is an admission that he could not overcome the political challenges that defined his short time in office.
The LDP will now turn to the task of selecting a new leader. The person chosen in the October vote will inherit a party in need of direction and a country looking for stable, effective leadership.