Reference News Network, July 26 report: According to the Asahi Shimbun website on July 26, despite the escalating "anti-Ishiba movement" within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has shown no intention of stepping down. The number of signatories on a joint letter calling for a meeting of the House of Representatives and House of Councillors members has reached the required threshold, and the LDP Youth Bureau has issued an ultimatum, but Ishiba clearly stated at a meeting with opposition party leaders that "he would not resign."

On the evening of the 23rd, some media outlets reported that "the prime minister is determined to resign." Upon hearing this, Ishiba spoke strongly to his close associates, saying, "I do not want to return to the old LDP path."

The "old LDP" that Ishiba mentioned refers to the factions within the LDP that have been leading the "anti-Ishiba movement." He believes that this movement is essentially a political maneuver orchestrated by factions that should have been dissolved, especially the former Abe faction, which is at the center of the factional secret funding controversy.

Ishiba angrily told his associates, "How can we tolerate such recklessness! Who turned the LDP into this state? These people only care about their own interests!"

According to sources close to Ishiba, the prime minister believes that now that both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors have become minority ruling parties, he is the leader who can cooperate with the opposition. Ishiba, who once left the LDP, has deep connections with opposition party members, especially with the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, Hashimoto Taro, and the co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, Maehara Seiji. Ishiba told his associates, "Who else can bow to the opposition to get the budget and laws passed?"

Surrounded by difficulties within the party, Ishiba is looking forward to public opinion. Throughout his political career, Ishiba has always been very concerned about public opinion. His faction was dissolved, and as a non-mainstream faction member, he won the prime minister's post in his fifth attempt, which was bold due to the public expectations he carried when his popularity ratings were high. Ishiba often told his colleagues, "The party's public opinion and real public opinion are completely different things."

After the LDP suffered a major defeat in the House of Representatives election last autumn, media surveys showed that although support for the Ishiba cabinet had declined, over 60% of respondents still answered that "the prime minister did not need to resign." In addition, the agreement on the Japan-US tariff negotiations also led to the view that public opinion might see a similar situation. (Translated by Liu Jieqiu)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7531361884205777460/

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