Tokyo
CNN
—
Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba will be sworn in as Japan’s new prime minister after winning his party’s leadership race on Friday, ending in a crowded runoff.
The 67-year-old takes control of the long-ruling, corrupt Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and will take command of the world’s fourth-largest economy when parliament convenes in October thanks to his party’s majority in the lower house.
She was one of nine candidates and defeated Economic Security Minister Sane Takaichi in the race to become Japan’s first female president – 215 to 194 votes. Shinjiro Koizumi was the third leading player not to reach the final stage. The son of famous former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was educated in America.
This is Ishiba’s fifth attempt to lead the party, the conservative political machine that has ruled Japan almost continuously since the party was founded in 1955.
In a political culture that prizes conformity, Ishiba has long been willing to criticize and go against his own party. That willingness to speak out made him a powerful adversary within the LDP, but also endeared him to grassroots members and the public.
He sits on the Progressive wing of the Conservative Party. His political acumen and experience in domestic and foreign policies led him to high office.
Following the vote, Ishiba said the LDP could now “be reborn and regain the trust of the people”.
“I will trust people, I will speak the truth with courage and honesty, and I will do everything in my power to make this country a safe and secure place where everyone can live with a smile again.”
The political veteran has promised to achieve “growth in real wages” and a “complete exit” from Japan’s high inflation rates. He also supports legislation allowing married women to keep their maiden names, calls for Japan to reduce its reliance on nuclear power in favor of renewables and an Asian version of the NATO defense bloc to counter threats from China and North Korea. .
Ishiba will succeed outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who announced in August that he would step down once again following a series of political scandals that prompted calls for his resignation.
The LDP has been embroiled in Japan’s biggest political scandals in decades in recent months. Two of the most influential factions in the LDP have been accused of failing to properly declare their income and expenses and, in some cases, of diverting political funds to lawmakers.
Scandals surrounding several high-ranking officials have not helped, with some accused of electoral law violations or linked to past defamatory comments against minorities.
Kishida tried to do damage control last year by replacing several cabinet ministers and eliminating his own party faction.
As the ruling party leader, Ishiba will be tasked with improving the LDP’s image ahead of next year’s general elections.
He will also take the helm at a time when the cost of living is rising, fueled by a weak yen.
With the U.S. presidential election due in November, Ishiba will navigate Japanese relations with a new U.S. leader amid growing security challenges in Asia.
Partnership with Japan has long been central to US strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, and his predecessor, Kishida, this year expanded Japan’s defense cooperation with its key ally.
Ishiba has remained strong on deterrence as a security issue, echoing his predecessor’s words during a recent trip to Taiwan, saying that “what happens in Ukraine today may be a problem Northeast Asia faces tomorrow,” Kyodo News reported.
Japan resident Emi Uchibori, 67, told CNN from Tokyo that she supports Ishiba, saying, “We need a leader who can lead Japan firmly into the future.”
“I hope that Japan’s elderly society and social welfare will be improved. In terms of diplomacy, I would like to see Japan deal with issues with China, Russia and North Korea,” he said.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Manami Otsuchi said she wants to see reforms that “do not burden the younger generation and lead to economic growth in Japan.”
