Shigeru Ishiba, a critic of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is set to become Japan’s new prime minister. He won majority votes of 215 in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership contest on Friday, defeating Sanae Takaichi who was vying to become Japan’s first woman prime minister. The top position was contested by nine lawmakers
Ishiba is a LDP veteran and has served as the party’s secretary-general. He rose to the top after a fifth attempt. The former defense minister pledged to refresh the scandal-plagued LDP’s name and bring about accountability and fairness. He promised to make Japan a safe and secure country.
Kishida congratulated Ishiba on sealing the top position, saying LDP will live up to the people’s expectations and achieve results. He said Japan must rise to the changes and demands of the world, and show its defense power. The outgoing leader added that he will support Japan’s new administration with all his strength.
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Who is Shigeru Ishiba?
Japan’s new prime minister comes from a political family. His father Jiro Ishiba was the Governor of Tottori Prefecture from 1958 to 1974 and went on to become the Minister of Home Affairs. Ishiba, 67, joined politics after a short banking career. He first attempted contesting for Japan’s top position in 2008.
LDP’s Vice President Taro Aso strongly dislikes the new prime minister. Some party members even described him as a traitor – in 1993 he left the LDP for a new party after supporting a non-confidence motion against the then prime minister Kiichi Miyazawa.
Ishiba has voiced concerns and never hesitated to criticize his party and its members. Ishiba is a defense expert and is said to build plastic models of warplanes and ships in his free time. He even proposed the establishment of an Asian-style NATO. Ishiba also has a belief that there are UFOs and has even been featured in a Japanese TV program on the same subject.
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Challenges Ahead for Shigeru Ishiba
Japan is in a leadership transition and Ishiba’s path ahead isn’t easy. Jeff Kingston, Director of Asian Studies at Tokyo’s Temple University, said Ishiba has the most credibility as he understands the pain of the people. However, he added that the new prime minister is a blunt-spoken guy who doesn’t suffer fools easily.
As such, Ishiba’s colleagues and fellow lawmakers take him to be arrogant and condescending. Kingston said he is also regarded as a weak leader because he often changes his stance and doesn’t have strong principles. But Ishiba is also considered an experienced and reliable politician.
