Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba has denied reports he plans to announce his resignation over a historic defeat of his ruling party in a weekend election, saying instead he wanted to make sure a new tariff agreement with the US is appropriately implemented.
The denial comes amid local media reports that he has informed his close aids that he is preparing to step down by the end of August following a significant electoral defeat and the conclusion of a high-stakes trade agreement with the US.
