Grapevine

By Al Jazeera
Oct 1, 2024

Japan’s new PM Shigeru Ishiba calls snap election for October 27

Newly chosen ruling party leader Ishiba emphasises need for immediate public approval of new administration.

Japan’s incoming prime minister has said he will call snap elections for October 27 after winning the leadership of the governing party.

“It is important for the new administration to be judged by the people as soon as possible,” Shigeru Ishiba said on Monday at a news conference at the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) headquarters in Tokyo.

Ishiba, who was chosen last week to lead the party, is due to be confirmed as prime minister by legislators in parliament’s lower house, which is controlled by an LDP coalition, on Tuesday.

The election next month will decide on the makeup of the parliament. The LDP has governed Japan for most of the time since the end of World War II.