Ishiba is facing growing opposition from within his party for his vow to stay in power despite the ruling coalition’s defeat in upper house elections

Mr Ishiba has been under growing pressure to step down as his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, lost their majority in the 248-member upper house, the smaller and less powerful of Japan's two-chamber parliament on Sunday, shaking his grip on power and Japan's political stability.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba vowed to remain in office on Monday after his ruling coalition suffered a bruising defeat in upper house elections, prompting some of his own party to deliberate his future as the opposition weighed a no-confidence motion.