Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has decided to resign, to avoid a split within his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, public broadcaster NHK has said.

Mr Ishiba has been in power since October 2024, leading a Liberal Democratic Party- Komeito coalition.

Since he came to power, Mr Ishiba's coalition has lost its majorities in both the lower and upper houses of parliament amid voter anger over rising living costs.

Its lower house majority was lost in October 2024 and its upper house majority in July 2025.

After the defeat in July, Shigeru originally told the public broadcaster NHK, he "solemnly" accepted the "harsh result" but vowed to stay on as prime minister.

Japanese PM vows to stay on despite election loss Photo shows The Japanese prime minister at a press conference from an

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