What does the Japanese PM's resignation convey?

Editor's note: Xu Ying is a Beijing-based international affairs commentator for CGTN. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

On Sunday, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation as head of government and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), citing his wish to "avoid divisions within the ruling party."

The decision, though not surprising, nevertheless shines a fresh spotlight on the turbulence and fragility of Japanese politics at a moment when both the country and the wider region are in urgent need of stability, responsibility and long-term vision. Ishiba's fall illustrates not only the political limitations of one leader but also the deeper contradictions that have haunted Japan's politics for decades.

The resignation was the culmination of a steady erosion of political capital and legitimacy. Ishiba's administration presided over the ruling coalition's unprecedented losses in both chambers of the Diet, Japan's national legislature.

The October 2024 general election and the July 2025 upper house contest saw the party fall below majority for the first time since the LDP's establishment in 1955. These defeats shook the once-unassailable LDP dominance.

Opinion polls painted an equally grim picture, with support for Ishiba's cabinet sinking below 25 percent. Party elders such as former prime ministers and heavyweight faction leaders applied sustained pressure on him to step aside, while the electorate voiced frustration that the government appeared consumed by internal maneuvering rather than addressing urgent bread-and-butter issues such as the rising cost of living and stagnant growth.

The sequence of events revealed more than Ishiba's personal character. His leadership style was marked by hesitation, reversals and ambiguous messages that left allies and opponents alike uncertain of his resolve. At times he said the job brought him little joy and he would not cling to power. Yet his refusal to resign earlier, even when the tide had clearly turned against him, created greater confusion within the LDP and ultimately amplified the sense of drift.

Beyond the individual, however, this saga underscored the structural weaknesses in Japanese politics: an entrenched cycle of short-lived premierships, intensifying factional rivalries and a widening gap between the priorities of the political elite and the daily concerns of ordinary citizens.

Frequent changes at the top may relieve immediate pressure but do little to address the deeper malaise, leaving Japan with a leadership deficit at a time of mounting domestic and international challenges.

In foreign policy, Ishiba's tenure exposed the contradictions that continue to plague Japan's strategic orientation. When he first entered office in October 2024, his government appeared willing to stabilize relations with China, acknowledging the centrality of the Chinese market to Japan's economic prospects and appointing officials with knowledge and experience in handling China affairs. Business circles, long aware that China accounts for around a fifth of Japan's external trade and delivers consistently high returns on investment, welcomed these early gestures.

Yet Ishiba soon succumbed to pressure from Washington and right-wing voices at home. He began to harden Japan's diplomatic and military posture, allowing the 2025 Defense White Paper to designate China as the "greatest strategic threat" in Japan's history, making provocative remarks on the Taiwan question and even floating the idea of an "Asian NATO."

These steps undermined the fragile trust that had begun to form, deepened suspicion in Beijing and cast a long shadow over the possibility of constructive engagement.

The consequences were predictable. No country can expect to enjoy the economic opportunities that China offers while simultaneously working hard to contain China in the strategic sphere. As Ishiba's government aligned more closely with U.S. rhetoric, it reaped few tangible benefits in trade or investment from Washington, while alienating its largest neighbor and most important economic partner.

Japan's attempt to straddle contradictory positions – seeking prosperity from cooperation with China while indulging in containment rhetoric for domestic or alliance purposes – proved unsustainable. The cost was not only the deterioration of bilateral ties but also the erosion of Japan's credibility as a responsible regional actor.

For China, Ishiba's resignation does not change the underlying realities. Beijing has consistently taken a principled and steady approach toward Tokyo, respecting the Japanese people's choice of leaders, refraining from interference in domestic politics, and focusing instead on the long-term trajectory of the bilateral relationship.

Leadership transitions in Tokyo may alter atmospherics but cannot obscure the fact that China and Japan are close neighbors, important trading partners and stakeholders in peace and stability in Asia.

China's consistent message has been that the two countries should handle differences with respect, build trust through dialogue, and seek common ground in economic cooperation, cultural exchange and regional governance. This stance has not wavered, even when faced with the provocations and short-term opportunism of Japanese politicians.

It is hoped that Japan's new leadership will value continuity and stability in its foreign policy, resist the temptation to use China as a convenient target for political games, and instead return to a rational, pragmatic approach to its largest neighbor.

Only by aligning with the broader currents of peace, cooperation and development in Asia can Tokyo find a sustainable path out of political turbulence.

For China's part, its door remains open to constructive dialogue, joint development and mutually beneficial cooperation, provided that Japan demonstrates sincerity and consistency.

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