Japan Elects Shigeru Ishiba as New Prime Minister 

Jack Milley

Staff Writer

After a recent Japanese election, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba is slated to become the new Japanese Prime Minister, reports NBC News. A member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Ishiba was elected after several corruption scandals shook the public’s faith in former Prime Minister Fumio Kushida’s leadership. Shigeru Ishiba has a history of being a moderate figure in the LDP who is both a realist and an idealist as to what Japan needs.

Ishiba is seen as a stable choice in a time of political turmoil for Japan, says The BBC. He is a long-time member of the LDP, running for the leadership position of his party a total of five times. While some of his ideas may be seen as more radical than the ideas of his party members, he is far from the scandals that have been present in the party, such as the influence of the controversial Unification Church and the potential underreporting of party funds.

Ishiba also has a long history of promoting bills that many of his party’s other lawmakers deem controversial. The Guardian states that he was one of the few lawmakers who pushed for a shift away from nuclear energy after the Fukushima disaster, allowing for a ruling empress, and having separate surnames for married couples. While this has made him unpopular with his fellow lawmakers, it has bolstered his image among the Japanese people.

As Prime Minister, he will be faced with the massive issues facing Japan. He has promised to tackle the continual deflation and falling birth rate, reports the Associated Press. He also seeks to bolster the Japanese Defense Force to better address the growing fear of Chinese aggression in the region, according to NBC News. Ishiba has also been a proponent of an Asian version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, in order to help secure the region from Japanese rivals such as China and North Korea.

NBC News reports that many world leaders have already commented on Ishiba’s election. President Lai Ching-Te of Taiwan states that he looks forward to deepening ties with the LDP under Ishiba’s leadership. Spokesperson Lin Jian of the Chinese Communist Party states that his country wishes to create a healthy relationship between the two countries. Ishiba has not visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which is a symbol of Japanese wartime aggression, which many believe will help strengthen relations with China, as that shrine is seen as a monument to Japanese imperialism in China during the 19th century.

Ishiba’s ascension to the leadership of his party could signal a change in the relationship between America and Japan, reports Politico. The previous Prime Minister, Fumio Kushida, had a long history as part of the traditional elite of Japan’s political system. He was a traditional leader on the world stage and worked closely with America and its allies. Ishiba is unknown on how he will interact with America.

Ishiba in his private life is a quiet man, says Politico. He enjoys creating model aircraft and ships during his free time. He is a self-admitted history nerd who enjoys reading as well, according to The Guardian. He has a YouTube channel with over 16,000 subscribers, where he talks about various topics.

Reuters reports that Ishiba has already called a general election for parliament, which will determine which party controls the lower house. The LDP has controlled it since the end of World War Two, but the recent scandals have jeopardized its control, reports the BBC. Experts believe that the recent change in LDP leadership is an attempt to sway the public back to the party and regain public trust.

Image courtesy of Getty Images