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The Rarest of Japan's Political Candidates: A Pregnant One

Running for House of Reps there, Hikaru Fujita talks openly about expecting, maternity bias

(Newser) - In Japan's latest national election, one of the most closely watched candidates began her campaign with two words rarely heard in that arena: "I'm pregnant." Hikaru Fujita, a 35-year-old former diplomat with a Harvard degree, is running for her nation's House of Representatives as a...

New Japan PM's 3am Staff Meeting Does Not Go Over Well

Sanae Takaichi's 3am 'study session' with aides is drawing criticism

(Newser) - Japan's new prime minister , Sanae Takaichi, is facing criticism after holding a staff meeting at 3am ahead of a budget appearance in the nation's parliament. Takaichi, known for her relentless work ethic and disdain for talk of work-life balance, convened what local media is calling a "study...

Japan's Likely New PM Is a Margaret Thatcher Fan

Hard-line conservative Sanae Takaichi, set to lead governing party, would be nation's first female PM

(Newser) - Japan's governing party on Saturday elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, a hard-line ultra-conservative and China hawk, as its new leader, making her likely to become the country's first female prime minister. In a country that ranks poorly internationally for gender equality, the 64-year-old Takaichi makes history...

After Losses and Tariff 'Crisis,' Japan's Prime Minister Resigns
Japan's Prime Minister Resigns
Sep 7, 2025 1:00 PM CDT

Japan's Prime Minister Resigns

Shigeru Ishiba says he has to take responsibility for coalition's loss of majorities in parliament

(Newser) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on Sunday after a series of election losses, pushing world's fourth-largest economy into political uncertainty just as it clinched a trade deal with the US. Ishiba, 68, said he must take responsibility after his ruling coalition lost its majorities in...

Japanese Official Resigns Over Offhand Rice Comment

Agriculture Minister Taku Eto said, 'I have never bought rice myself'

(Newser) - Japan's agriculture minister stepped down Wednesday, days after admitting he's never bought rice—an offhand remark that fueled outrage amid a national rice shortage. While speaking about farming policy on Sunday, Taku Eto noted that supporters gifted him ample rice, adding, "I have never bought rice...

Japan's Ruling Party: Women Can Look, But Not Talk, at Meetings

Attempt to address sexism backfires

(Newser) - Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has proposed allowing more women to attend its male-dominated meetings—but it doesn't want them to say anything. Toshihiro Nikai, the party's 82-year-old secretary general, said this week that five female lawmakers should be invited to observe the meetings in order to...

Japan PM's Party Wins Control of Parliament

Abe's LDP controls both chambers for 1st time since '07

(Newser) - Japanese broadcasters projected that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition won a majority of seats in the upper house of parliament in elections today, giving it control of both chambers for the first time in six years. The win is seen as an endorsement of Abe's economic program,...

Japan's Right Scores Election Win

Former PM Shinzo Abe likely to return to power

(Newser) - Japanese public broadcaster NHK is projecting that the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party has won a clear majority in parliamentary elections. NHK said today that its exit polls show that the conservative LDP, which ruled Japan for most of the post-World War II era, won between 275 and 300 seats...

Gordon Brown Offers to Step Down—Eventually

Move aimed to help talks with Liberal Democrats on coalition government

(Newser) - Gordon Brown has announced that he's stepping down as the head of the Labour party—some time before the party's next conference this fall—but that he'd like to remain prime minister until then if possible, the Guardian reports. Brown also announced that the Liberal Democrats would begin formal talks...

Cameron, Clegg Scramble to Form UK Government
 Cameron, Clegg Scramble 
 to Form UK Government  
Brown urged to step down
May 10, 2010 7:50 AM CDT

Cameron, Clegg Scramble to Form UK Government

Election leaves Liberal Dems in driver's seat

(Newser) - Britain's winner-less election has left both the Conservatives and the Labour Party furiously negotiating with and sucking up to Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrat party, with papers just as furiously live-blogging the comings and goings. Though they actually lost seats, the Liberal Dems have the power to determine who becomes prime...

UK Will Go to Polls May 6

PM Gordon Brown's Labour majority under siege

(Newser) - With his Labour Party’s majority under siege, British PM Gordon Brown will call a general election for May 6. Brown must ask Queen Elizabeth to dissolve Parliament, after which he’ll give a speech that paints the vote as “the big choice,” sources tell the BBC , which...

Hatoyama Confirmed as Japan's New PM

Shift in power marks end of 50 years of conservative rule

(Newser) - Japan's parliament formally voted in Yukio Hatoyama as the country's new prime minister today, ending an almost half-century of rule by the Liberal Democratic Party, CNN reports. The LDP's Taro Aso and his cabinet resigned en masse earlier in the day. Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan won a landslide election...

New Leader Hails Japanese 'Revolution'

Yukio Hatoyama gets to work after historic opposition victory

(Newser) - Japan's incoming prime minister hailed a democratic "revolution" as more complete results confirmed a sweeping victory for the center-left Democratic Party. Yukio Hatoyama will lead a bloc of more than 300 parliamentary members, more than three times its previous representation, after what the Times of London calls the...

Japanese Voters Head to Polls to Boot Leaders

Half century of power expected to end today

(Newser) - Japanese voters began casting ballots today in a general election expected to clean house, reports the Financial Times. The Democratic Party of Japan will almost certainly thump the Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled the nation 11 months out of the last 54 years.

Defeat All but Certain for Japan's Aso, Ruling Party

Sunday election likely to end 54 years in power

(Newser) - Sunday will likely mark a milestone in Japanese politics as voters dump the Liberal Democratic Party after more than a half-century in power, the Washington Post reports. Even senior LDP leaders acknowledge that Yukio Hatoyama will probably trounce incumbent Prime Minister Taro Aso, and polls predict a staggering turnout with...

Japan Faces Historic Change as Election Opens

(Newser) - Japanese PM Taro Aso dissolved parliament today to begin a watershed election that could break his party's 50-year grip on power, Reuters reports. In a nationwide TV address, Aso apologized for his shortcomings as a leader and for internal squabbling that cost his conservative party at recent local elections. Opposition...

Japan's Embattled Leader to Meet Obama

Unpopular Japanese PM will face calls to resign when he gets home

(Newser) - Taro Aso today becomes the first foreign leader to visit President Obama but it may be the Japanese leader's last summit, Bloomberg reports. The prime minister's popularity has dived amid public dislike of his handling of the economy and his finance minister's resignation over a drinking scandal. Polls show almost...

Aso Becomes Japan PM, But Election Looms

New leader may go to the polls as soon as next month

(Newser) - Taro Aso took office today as Japan's fourth prime minister in just 2 years, and the hawkish new leader appointed several long-time supporters to serve with him in cabinet. But the government may be short-lived, Bloomberg reports. Officials in Tokyo predicted that the PM would call an election as soon...

Japan's Ruling Party Picks Next PM

Nationalist Taro Aso likely to call early election

(Newser) - Japanese nationalist Taro Aso won a convincing ruling-party vote to become the country’s next prime minister, Reuters reports. The Liberal Democrat and former foreign minister will become the third PM this year. Facing a troubled economy and strong opposition in Parliament’s upper house, Aso will likely call an...

Ex-Foreign Minister Leads Race to Be Japanese PM

Aso seen as best shot at reuniting split party

(Newser) - Former foreign minister Taro Aso is on course to become Japan's third prime minister in 12 months, Reuters reports. The onetime Olympic sharpshooter says he's the right candidate to take the helm of the Liberal Democratic Party following yesterday's abrupt resignation of Yasuo Fukuda in the face of a political...

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