Fumio Kishida is Japan’s next Prime Minister. Kishida, appointed as Prime Minister Suga’s successor announced that he will not be running for re-election. Here’s everything about Japan’s new PM.
Who is Fumio Kishida?
Fumio Kishida, Japan’s former foreign minister is the next Prime Minister, after winning the Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership vote. Kishida will succeed Prime Minister Suga who declared that he will not be running for re-elections. After all, Prime Minister Suga’s approval ratings went down within a year in the office. Kishida is well respected within his party. He also has the support of several important pillars of Japanese politics. Moreover, he comes from a political family.
“Our national crisis continues. We need to keep working hard on the coronavirus response with strong determination, and we need to compile tens of trillions of yen of the stimulus package by the end of the year,” said Kishida during his acceptance speech. He will be inheriting a country with an inert economy punished by the pandemic, high political manoeuvering from China, and the aftermath of an unusual health crisis. However, he aims to help lead the Liberal Democratic Party to victory in the forthcoming general elections.
More on Japan’s 100th Prime Minister
Fumio Kishida will be Japan’s 100th Prime Minister after a special parliamentary session on October 4. However, this is not his first attempt towards becoming the Prime Minister. He previously lost against Suga during his run for office in 2020. He first stepped into Politics in 1993, continuing his father and grandfather’s legacy. Before becoming the foreign minister between 2012 to 2017, he served as LDP’s policy chief. During his time as the foreign minister of Jpan, Kishida was a key player in negotiating deals with Russia and South Korea. Additionally, he is a long-time advocate of banning nuclear weapons. He even calls it his life’s work and brought former US president Barack Obama to Hiroshima.
“Fiscal reform is the direction we need to head for eventually, though we won’t try to fill Japan’s deficit with immediate tax hikes,” said Kishida. “To protect such universal values as freedom, democracy, rule of law and human rights, we need to say firmly what needs to be said in the face of the expansion of authoritarian regimes like China, while cooperating with countries that share such values,” he added. However, according to reports, his first big challenge will begin with forming a new cabinet.
