Shigeru Ishiba: Japan's train-loving PM who got derailed in election

Shigeru Ishiba, Japan's Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), reacts during a press conference at the party's headquarters in Tokyo on October 28, 2024. Ishiba said on October 28 he will stay in office despite his party losing its majority, saying he would not create a "political vacuum". (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon / POOL / AFP)

TOKYO (AFP)): Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is a self-confessed defence geek and train-lover whose snap election gamble backfired after his Liberal Democratic Party suffered its worst result in 15 years.

The disastrous outcome in Sunday's election is a serious blow to 67-year-old Ishiba, a party veteran who is also a fan of 1970s pop idols and making military models.