TOKYO — Japanese stocks rose and bond prices fell Wednesday on reports that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba would announce his resignation soon, indicating that investors prefer the risks involved with a new leader over his stalled administration.
Despite his party’s resounding defeat in Sunday’s upper house parliamentary election, Ishiba has refused to complete his last big task and step down until after Japan reached a tariff agreement with the U.S. He told reporters there is “no truth” to the reports that he intends to resign.