Outgoing Japanese PM Ishiba considering visiting South Korea later this month

Tokyo, Sep 12 (IANS) Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is planning to visit South Korea later this month for a summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung before stepping down, Japanese media reported Friday.

Fuji News Network reported that Prime Minister Ishiba is arranging a two-day visit to South Korea starting Sept. 30 to hold talks with President Lee in a regional city, citing multiple government officials.

His envisioned trip will be part of the "regular reciprocal visits" by the two countries' leaders, according to Kyodo News.

Lee and Ishiba last met in August, when they discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties through "shuttle diplomacy."

On Sunday, Ishiba announced his resignation amid a domestic political crisis. Japan is set to elect a new prime minister in early October, Yonhap News Agency reported.

During a televised press conference on September 7, Ishiba said, "I have decided to resign from my position as president of the Liberal Democratic Party."

"I have told Secretary-General Moriyama to carry out the procedures for a presidential election... I would like him to begin the process of selecting a new president," he added.

Ishiba assumed office last October and has been resisting the calls to resign for weeks now.

His resignation was announced one day before the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was scheduled to decide on holding an early presidential election.

This decision followed a significant defeat in the recent Upper House elections, which resulted in the LDP-Komeito coalition losing its majority, according to the nation's leading daily, The Japan Times.

Until recently, Ishiba had been determined to remain in office and tackle pressing issues, particularly in the economic sphere.

Calls for his resignation, however, had increased within the party, with senior members urging him to resign before the leadership vote to avoid worsening divisions.

"With Japan having signed the trade agreement and the president having signed the executive order, we have passed a key hurdle," Ishiba said, his voice faltering with emotion. "I would like to pass the baton to the next generation."

--IANS

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