Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has denied reports of his resignation, despite growing pressure to step down over the historic loss of his ruling party in a weekend election, saying instead he wants to make sure a new tariff agreement with the United States is appropriately implemented.

With the tariff deal with the U.S. paving the way for his possible departure, Japanese media said Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to soon announce plans to step down in August.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba plans to step down following a bruising upper house election defeat, a source told Reuters, as the embattled premier announced a long-sought trade deal with U.S.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has reiterated his intention to remain in office despite his ruling bloc's defeat in Sunday's Upper House election.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba refuted rumors about his resignation following a setback in the upper house election. With crucial trade talks with the U.S. in progress, he delayed any immediate decision.

Japan's far-right populist Sanseito party was one of the biggest winners in the weekend's upper house election, attracting many voters with its “Japanese First" platform that included calling for tougher restrictions on foreigners and the curtailment of gender equality and diversity policies.

A once fringe opposition party in Japan has become the fourth largest in parliament by pushing a nationalist "Japanese First" agenda.

Anti-establishment parties focused on wages, immigration and an unresponsive political elite struck a chord with working-age people in Japan.

The road to Japan’s trade deal with the U.S. just got longer and more winding as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s coalition lost its majority in the upper house following the election held on Sunday. It was only in late October that Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party lost the majority in the lower house it had held since 2012.