Japan, Prime Minister remains in office after upper house election defeat

Tokyo (Japan), July 21 (LaPresse) – Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has stated that he will remain in office despite the defeat in the upper house elections, where his coalition lost the majority. Ishiba said he takes the result seriously but that his priority is to avoid creating a political vacuum and to face the upcoming challenges, including the August 1 deadline for the tariff agreement with the United States. He also added that he hopes to reach a mutually beneficial agreement and to meet with US President Donald Trump. “While I deeply feel my heavy responsibility for the election results, I believe I must fulfill my duty to the country and the people, to avoid paralysis or a drift in politics,” Ishiba said. “Challenges such as the global situation and natural disasters will not wait for a better political situation to be created.”