NIPPON




 

Democratic Party-led ruling coalition on the country's upcoming summit diplomacy.

While a series of summit meetings are scheduled from late this month and U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit Japan also in late October, full-fledged preparations for these diplomatic events have been delayed as it is unclear when the Diet, Japan's parliament, will elect a new prime minister to succeed outgoing Shigeru Ishiba.

"We are not sure when a parliamentary election for a new prime minister will be held," a senior official at the ministry said. "We cannot decide how to proceed with the upcoming summit diplomacy" unless a new prime minister is picked, the official added.

Currently, it remains to be seen when an extraordinary Diet session in which the next prime minister is elected will be convened.

After Ishiba in early September announced his decision to resign, former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi was elected LDP president to succeed him earlier this month.

Komeito decided Friday to withdraw from the ruling coalition due to a large gap between the two parties' stances over the issue of politics and money.