PM Fumio Kishida and his Cabinet resigns

The country’s parliament will later hold an extraordinary session to elect Shigeru Ishiba as prime minister

The Japanese government led by Fumio Kishida has resigned ahead of the formation of a new cabinet by the next prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said.

The country’s parliament will later hold an extraordinary session to elect Ishiba, who took the helm of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on September 27, as prime minister. Together with its coalition partner Komeito, the party has a majority in both chambers of the legislature.

Japanese media outlets report, citing sources, that Hayashi, who was Ishiba’s rival in the party election, will retain his post, as well as Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tetsuo Saito, who represents Komeito in the cabinet.

Ex-Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and former Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya are expected to once again assume the same positions.

Emperor Naruhito will approve the new government later in the day.