Shigeru Ishiba Elected Japan's New Prime Minister, Country Headed For Snap Polls In Oct

Ishiba succeeds Fumio Kishida, who stepped down as Prime Minister on Tuesday as the LDP looks to shore up support amid falling popularity owing to government scandal and rising cost of living.

Japan’s parliament on Tuesday elected Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Shigeru Ishiba as the country’s new prime minister. According to the Associated Press (AP), Ishiba was chosen as the party’s leader on Friday, replacing Fumio Kishida. The latter stepped down as Prime Minister on Tuesday as the LDP looks to shore up support amid falling popularity owing to government scandal and rising cost of living. 

On Monday, Ishiba announced that a fresh election will be held next month, a year ahead of schedule. According to AP, he said “it is important to have the new administration get the public’s judgment as soon as possible”. He is expected to dissolve the parliament on October 9.

The Opposition parties criticised Ishiba for allowing only a short time for his policies to be examined thoroughly as well as discussed in parliament before the national election. They protested and delayed the start of the parliamentary vote for about half an hour, indicating a rocky start for Ishiba, reported AP. 

Ishiba said he would directly face the people, and discuss policies sincerely “to gain their understanding”. “My government won’t walk away from challenges, and get things done,” Ishiba said before the parliamentary vote, as per the AP report.

Kishida Bids Farewell

In August, Kishida announced that he would resign at the end of his three-year term, to pave the way for a new leader before the next national election, amid corruption scandals in his party and government. On Tuesday morning, Kishida and his ministers stepped down at a Cabinet meeting and the former prime minister left his office after a brief farewell ceremony. He was presented with a bouquet of red roses and applauded by his staff and former Cabinet members.

“As we face a critical moment in and outside the country, I earnestly hope key policies that will pioneer Japan’s future will be powerfully pursued by the new Cabinet,” Kishida said in a statement, as per AP.

Ishiba was first elected to parliament in 1986. He joined politics after being influenced by the late Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, who was popular with the public. He has served as defence minister, agriculture minister and in other key Cabinet posts, and as the LDP secretary-general under former PM Shinzo Abe, reported AP.

According to the AP report, some analysts believe that Ishiba was chosen as much for his image as a centrist who can counter challenges by the more liberal main Opposition party as for his policy views.