The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) put forward 9 candidates for the party leadership position. On Friday, September 27, 2024, Shigeru Ishiba was declared the winner, which traditionally signified the assumption of the office of Prime Minister of Japan. Parliament will vote on his confirmation as Prime Minister in a special session on October 1, with a public statement expected to follow.[1]
As none of the nine candidates managed to secure a majority of votes, the election proceeded in two rounds. In the first round, Ishiba received 154 votes and advanced to the second round alongside Sanae Takaichi. In the second round, the politician emerged victorious, garnering 215 votes.[2]
Former Defense Minister Ishiba unsuccessfully participated in elections five times in 2008, 2012, 2018, and 2020. During the preparation for the current elections, he stated that this would be his final attempt. Ishiba remarked that a scandal prompting the party to dissolve influential factions traditionally responsible for appointing LDP leaders facilitated a more transparent voting process, enabling him to win his "final battle."[3]
On Tuesday, Ishiba announced that he would form a new government once a special session of parliament officially appointed him to the position.
According to NHK, Ishiba, expected to be formally appointed as Prime Minister next week, intends to retain certain former government officials in their positions. Specifically, he has decided to keep Yoshimasa Hayashi as Chief Cabinet Secretary (Foreign Minister from 2021-2023) while appointing former Minister of Agriculture Hiroshi Moriyama as LDP Secretary-General.[4]
Upon assuming office this week, Shigeru Ishiba, the new leader of Japan, plans to commence work on policies aimed at alleviating regional tensions.
What challenges lie ahead for the incoming prime minister?
From the very first day, Ishiba has been confronted with significant political challenges in the country’s foreign policy, including growing concerns regarding North Korea’s missile launches and incursions into Russian airspace, as well as China’s threat to Taiwan.[5]
Known for his expertise in defense matters, Ishiba has stated that he will continue the foreign policy of his predecessor, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. He also aims to enhance Japan’s independence and seek ways to have Japan’s worth recognized in alliance with the United States, which includes revisiting the Status of Forces Agreement with the United States and developing agreements on collective security with strategic partner countries in Asia.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has been governing the country for 30 years. It is noteworthy that Ishiba’s administration is entering a highly complex political and economic period. According to experts, the LDP currently faces one of the most challenging tasks in the party’s history - the task of restoring the trust of the Japanese people. Economic stagnation, a weak yen, and the sharpest rise in food prices in the past half-century are increasing society’s trust in the ruling party.
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), wages in Japan have remained unchanged for 30 years.[6] The need to stimulate economic growth, combat economic stagnation, strengthen the Japanese currency, and curb rising food prices requires the attention and actions of the new government.
Another significant issue on Japan’s domestic agenda is the aging and shrinking population. This puts pressure on social and medical services and threatens the country with a labor shortage in the medium to long term. This, in turn, necessitates the development of strategies that ensure sustainable socio-economic development in light of population aging and decline. It is essential to review immigration policies to offset demographic decline and bolster the economy by attracting foreign experts. In his new role as the head of government, Ishiba will have to reassess Japan’s labor market management policies and amend his stance on immigration.
What is known about Shigeru Ishiba?
Shigeru Ishiba is one of the most experienced politicians in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), having held several state positions: Minister of Defense (2007-2008), Minister of Agriculture (2008-2009), and Minister of Depopulation and Regional Revitalization (2014-2016). He is renowned for his expertise in defense matters, agricultural policies, and strategies for regional development. While serving in these ministerial roles, Ishiba played a role in shaping Japan’s national security policy, agricultural policies, and rural revitalization strategies.
In 1979, Shigeru Ishiba graduated from the prestigious Keio University in Tokyo and started working at Mitsui Bank. However, four years later, he joined one of the LDP factions as a secretary. From the 1990s, the politician actively engaged in defense matters, earning him the nickname "gunji otaku," which translates to "obsessed with military affairs."
He first joined Koizumi’s cabinet in 2002 as the Director-General of the Ministry of Defense, later holding positions as Minister of Defense and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. During the 2012 presidential elections, when he was part of the opposition Liberal Democratic Party, he garnered the majority of votes among party members but lost in the second round to former Prime Minister Abe.
From 2002 to 2004, he headed the Ministry of Defense. Researcher Adam Liff notes that in this role, Ishiba played a pivotal role in restructuring Japan’s Self-Defense Forces. He oversaw the successful launch of Japan’s first reconnaissance satellite and the joint development with the United States of the ballistic missile SM-3 Block IIA. Additionally, as the Director-General of the Ministry of Defense, he worked on enacting emergency legislation in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States and deploying Self-Defense Forces troops to Iraq for humanitarian and reconstruction aid in the relatively stable camp of Samawa, with forces withdrawn in July 2006.
[1] The Japan times. Eric Johnston and Kanako Takahara. 27.07.2024.
URL: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/27/japan/politics/ldp-election-winner/
[2] 日本海テレビニュース。自民党総裁選 石破氏と高市氏による決選投票へ（Liberal Democratic Party Presidential Election: Runoff between Ishiba and Takaichi）
URL: https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/politics/nkf71e91598878471390630d5a5558a95e
[3] 日本海テレビ。石破茂 氏 自民党の新総裁に選出 鳥取県出身で初の総理大臣誕生へ (Shigeru Ishiba was elected as the new president of the Liberal Democratic Party)
URL: https://news.ntv.co.jp/n/nkt/category/politics/nkb51a3060c1d1400c880bcdb30c955d10
[4] NHK. 自民 石破新総裁 党幹事長に森山氏 官房長官に林氏 意向固める。(New LDP president Ishiba strengthens ties with Moriyama as party secretary-general and Hayashi as chief cabinet secretary.)
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20240928/k10014594491000.html
[5] The Japan Times. 29.09.2024. Kathleen Benoza and Jesse Johnson
URL: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/29/japan/politics/ishiba-japan-foreign-policy/
[6] Nikkey Asia. YOHEI MATSUO. 16.10.2021.
