Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday he will step down from the top job, after less than a year in office.

Ishiba has been in power since October 2024 and led a coalition between the big tent conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the centrist Komeito Party.

Several members of Ishiba's LDP lost faith in him after his ruling coalition lost majorities in both houses of parliament over the course of the year.

"I have decided to resign from the position of president of the Liberal Democratic Party," he said at a press conference on Sunday.

Ishiba's resignation comes just a day before his party was to decide whether to hold an early leadership election, which would have been a virtual no-confidence vote against him if it had been approved.

He intends to fulfill his duties until a new party leader is elected.

The long-dominant LDP lost control of the lower house after snap elections last October, and then fell short of the 248-seat requirement for the upper house this July.

Japan struggled to reach trade agreement with US

Members of the LDP, mostly right-wing opponents, had been calling for Ishiba's resignation for more than a month after July's upper house election loss.

It was the first time the LDP had lost a majority in both houses of parliament since the party's founding in 1955.

However, Ishiba resisted the demands, saying that stepping down would put US tariff talks at risk.

"Now that negotiations on US tariff measures have reached a conclusion, I believe this is the appropriate moment," Ishiba explained at the news conference on Sunday. "I have decided to step aside and make way for the next generation."

US President Donald Trump signed an order on Thursday to lower tariffs on Japanese autos, with Washington finally moving to implement a trade pact negotiated with Tokyo in July, reducing the tariffs from the current 27.5% to 15%.

Ishiba agreed to step down to avoid splitting party

After winning the party leadership in September 2024, Ishiba became the 10th LDP man to serve as prime minister since 2000. Ishiba's term was due to end in September 2027.

Despite his insistence on remaining in power, his eventual voluntary resignation came after a reported meeting with the agricultural minister and a former prime minister in an effort to stop the LDP from splitting.

Four senior LDP officials, including the party's number two, Hiroshi Moriyama, offered to resign last week.

Despite the LDP having governed almost continuously since 1955, voters have been deserting the party, including towards fringe groups such as the far-right Sanseito.

Edited by: Roshni Majumdar