Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned with his cabinet on Tuesday (Oct. 21), marking an end to the administration that took office just over a year ago.
At an extraordinary cabinet meeting held shortly before 9 a.m. local time, ministers submitted their letters of resignation, and the Ishiba cabinet formally stepped down.
Later in the afternoon, both chambers of the Diet will convene to elect Japan's next prime minister.
Currently, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) holds 196 seats in the 465-seat House of Representatives, while the Japan Innovation Party has 35 seats, just two seats short of a majority.
In the 248-seat House of Councillors, the LDP occupies 100 seats, and the Japan Innovation Party holds 19 seats, six seats away from a majority.
According to NHK reports, the election of Takaichi Sanae as Japan's Prime Minister is almost a certainty, making her the first female Prime Minister of Japan.
As per the currently announced schedule, at 1 PM local time (12 PM, Hong Kong time) on the 21st, the House of Representatives will hold a full session to conduct the Prime Minister nomination election; at 1:30 PM (12:30 PM Hong Kong time), the House of Councillors will also conduct the Prime Minister nomination election in a full session.
The Prime Minister nomination election in Japan takes place in both houses of the Diet. A candidate who secures a majority of votes in the first round is elected. If no candidate receives a majority, the top two candidates by vote count will enter a second round, with the candidate receiving the most votes winning.
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