Shigeru Ishiba, a former defense minister, has been elected as Japan’s new prime minister, replacing Fumio Kishida, who faced criticism over his management of corruption scandals.
Ishiba, 67, secured the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in his fifth attempt, winning a runoff vote by 215 to 194. The veteran politician, who previously served as both defense and agriculture minister, succeeded Kishida, whose approval ratings had plummeted due to allegations of corruption within the party.
In his victory speech, Ishiba pledged to “reborn” the LDP and regain public trust, vowing to tackle inflation and boost real wage growth. He also expressed his vision of Japan leading the formation of an Asian equivalent to NATO, positioning the country to counter potential threats from China and North Korea.
Known as a progressive and a “lone wolf,” Ishiba has often clashed with party leadership. He has voiced opposition to Japan’s increased reliance on nuclear energy and criticised restrictions on allowing married couples to keep separate surnames. Ishiba was also a vocal critic of Kishida’s response to the LDP’s corruption scandal, which involved undeclared political fundraising through ticket sales for party events.
Although Kishida was not directly implicated in the scandal, his inability to control the situation led to a sharp decline in his popularity and ultimately his decision not to seek re-election in August.
