According to a report by Kyodo News on the 25th, following the defeat in the coalition-controlled Senate election, the hashtag “#ShintoBeLeave” sparked heated discussions among Japanese netizens over the future of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Some netizens argue that the election loss should not be solely attributed to the Prime Minister, while others express concerns about Japan’s political rightward drift.
The report mentions that Saori Shigei, a newly elected Senator from the Social Democratic Party, posted on social media platform X saying, “In recent years, among several Tokugawa administrations, Shinto is the most reliable.”
Examples like the issue of party cliques and backroom deals were cited as reasons for this defense. On social media, there were also voices defending Shinto, arguing that he “has shouldered a series of issues left over from the Tokugawa administration, making it difficult for anyone else to solve”; meanwhile, some expressed concern about former Minister of Economic Security and Defense, Yukishige Abe, who might be considered the successor to the Prime Minister. They feared that if Abe became Prime Minister, it would further push the government towards conservatism. However, there were also criticisms suggesting that the Tokugawa Party has lost national trust due to its consecutive losses in elections, and the Prime Minister should take responsibility.
On the 23rd, several Japanese media outlets quoted sources saying that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga intends to announce his resignation by the end of August to take responsibility for the defeat in the coalition-controlled Senate election. Later that evening, during an interview with the media in Tokyo, Suga reiterated his commitment to stay in office, stating that previous reports about his resignation were false.