Japan PM Kishida Cabinet Resigns 'En Masse,' Paving Way For New Leadership

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's tenure came to an end on Tuesday when he resigned collectively with his cabinet, paving the way for Shigeru Ishiba to take office.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced that Kishida and his ministers stepped down at a cabinet meeting Tuesday, according to a Japanese local media outlet

PM's Office of Japan shared a video on X, capturing the moment, showing staff members giving Kishida a warm ovation and presenting him with bouquets.

"Today (1 October 2024), the Kishida Cabinet resigned en masse. After deciding on the resignation during the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Kishida issued a statement about it. He left the Prime Minister's Office while being seen off by his staff," PM's Office of Japan said on X.

Earlier on Friday, Ishiba was chosen as the governing Liberal Democratic Party's leader to replace Kishida, who announced his resignation at the end of his three-year term in August.

Following Kishida's resignation, he issued a statement, which stated, "Since the inauguration of my Cabinet three years ago, as our country faces "turning points between eras," we have confronted challenges that cannot be postponed and have steadily advanced initiatives to "turn change into strength" in the fields of economic and social policy and diplomacy."

"The revival of the economy is the Kishida administration's top priority. With this strong determination, since taking office, I have advocated for a "New Form of Capitalism" and strived to bring about a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution, as well as a virtuous cycle of wages and prices." the statement added.

Further, he also expressed gratitude to the people of Japan for their understanding and cooperation during a challenging period marked by natural disasters, including the devastating Noto Peninsula earthquake.

"We also experienced multiple natural disasters, such as the Noto Peninsula earthquake. The government will continue to work as one in firmly supporting those who have been affected and to restore their lives to a normal state as quickly as possible. I would like to express my sincere appreciation once again for the understanding and cooperation we have received from the people of Japan during this period," Kishida mentioned in his statement.

Ishiba, 67, in a runoff vote, defeated economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, Kyodo news outlet reported.

Takaichi received 194 votes to Ishiba's 215, narrowly missing the chance to become Japan's first woman prime minister. Takaichi had contested against Kishida in 2021.

The vote comes after Kishida's announcement in August that he would not stand for re-election. The LDP has a majority in parliament and thus picks the prime minister.

Ishiba, who formerly also served as Japan's agriculture minister, is expected to select new LDP executives soon and form his cabinet after being formally elected prime minister. (ANI)