Japan PM Ishiba voices intention to resign: government officials

TOKYO, Sept 7 (Kyodo): Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has expressed his intention to step down, senior government officials said Sunday, a day before the party decides whether to hold a presidential contest.

On Monday, the LDP plans to collect signatures from its lawmakers to determine whether to hold a presidential election ahead of the scheduled contest in 2027, amid mounting calls for Ishiba to take responsibility for the loss of the ruling coalition's majority in the House of Councillors election in July.

Criticism of Ishiba has grown in recent days, even among his allies, as he has vowed to stay on.

On Tuesday, Ishiba said he would determine his political future at an "appropriate time" but reiterated his eagerness to stay on to pursue policy goals, even as a close aide expressed readiness to resign from a key party post.

Ishiba became prime minister on his fifth try for the LDP presidency, but his ruling coalition lost its majority in the lower house of the Diet in a general election later that month.

On July 20, the ruling bloc of the Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party, lost their majority in the upper house election.