A: Hey there! Did you catch the news last night?
B: Not really, what's up?

A: Well, it seems our PM Ishiba wants to stick around despite the LDP losing in the Upper House election.
B: Really?! What did they discuss about for so long then?

A: They talked for almost 5 hours! Some supported him, others called for new leadership. Sounds like a tough call.
B: Wow, I wouldn't want to be in his shoes... But what did he say about it all?

A: He said there was a good discussion and will make a decision based on their input. No change of heart about staying on.
B: Interesting... And now others are calling for a meeting to figure out who's responsible for the loss.

A: Yeah, that's right! One state minister even plans to start a motion for it tomorrow. Crazy times in Japanese politics!
----------------

Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has reiterated his intention to remain in office after emerging from a meeting that his ruling Liberal Democratic Party held following the party's Upper House election defeat.



The gathering of LDP lawmakers from both houses of the Diet ended at around 8 p.m. on Monday. It lasted for about four and a half hours, two and a half hours longer than scheduled.



Speaking to reporters, Ishiba said there was a very good discussion. He said almost everyone in the room spoke and offered a variety of opinions. He said he will make an appropriate decision based on their input.



Asked if the meeting had changed his intention to stay on, he said, "No." He said he wants to fulfill his responsibilities.



Some participants described what happened during the closed-door meeting. They said some lawmakers supported Ishiba's continued leadership while others called on the party's leadership to step down.



There are also calls to convene the Joint Plenary Meeting of Members of Both Houses of the Diet to determine who is responsible for the election defeat.



State Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Sasagawa Hiroyoshi told reporters that he intends to submit on Tuesday at the earliest a list of signatures to convene the LDP Joint Plenary Meeting.
----------------

Quiz 1:
Who is currently the Prime Minister of Japan?
A. Abe Shinzo
B. Ishiba Shigeru
C. Fumio Kishida
D. Koike Yuriko

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 1: B

Quiz 2:
How long did the meeting of LDP lawmakers last?
A. Less than 4 hours
B. Exactly 4 hours
C. Around 4 and a half hours
D. More than 5 hours

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 2: C

Quiz 3:
What is the intention of State Minister Sasagawa Hiroyoshi regarding the LDP Joint Plenary Meeting?
A. To postpone the meeting
B. To cancel the meeting
C. To submit a list of signatures to convene the meeting
D. To ignore the possibility of holding the meeting

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 3: C