World Insights: Challenges abound as Ishiba poised to lead Japan

TOKYO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) — Elected as the new leader of Japan’s ruling party after a heated race, veteran politician Shigeru Ishiba is set to face daunting challenges ranging from restoring public trust to addressing economic stagnation as he prepares to assume the role of Japan’s prime minister.
The 67-year-old former defense minister narrowly defeated female hopeful Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi in a run-off on Friday as a record nine candidates competed to lead the country’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Ishiba is expected to be officially elected Japan’s prime minister on Oct. 1, succeeding outgoing Fumio Kishida to lead a country facing a complex array of pressing issues.
First and foremost on Ishiba’s task list is to restore public trust in the LDP, whose image has been heavily tarnished by the political funds scandal involving unreported income and misuse of political funds, which led to the indictment of several lawmakers.
At a press conference following his win, Ishiba has vowed to give his “full effort” to rebuild trust and unity within the LDP, calling for a party that is humble, fair, and transparent, where rules are followed, and the public can hold leaders accountable.
While the current term of lower house members is to expire in October 2025, Ishiba will also need to decide when to dissolve the lower house, as in Japan, a new prime minister often calls a snap election to dissolve the lower house at an early date to capitalize on a high approval rating to seek a public mandate.
While indicating that a general election is necessary, Ishiba emphasized the importance of debating key issues with opposition parties before making any decision.
On the economic front, Ishiba’s economic agenda promises continuity with those of Kishida but aims to make these policies more effective.
In recent years, sluggish economic growth, wage stagnation, rising prices and the yen’s sharp depreciation have created woes for the Japanese public, and how Ishiba will differentiate his policies to tackle these economic challenges will be a key focus to watch.
Stressing measures to accelerate real wage growth and boost consumer spending, Ishiba on Friday also highlighted Japan’s population decline as a major concern, reiterating his focus on regional revitalization.
On foreign policy and national security, Ishiba, considered a defense policy expert, has put forward conservative proposals, including the establishment of an “Asian version of the NATO military alliance” and revisions to war-renouncing Article 9 of the pacifist Constitution. He has declined to say whether he would visit the controversial Yasukuni Shrine as prime minister.
Regarding Japan-U.S. relations, Ishiba envisions a more equal and mutual Japan-U.S. security alliance, including having Japanese Self-Defense Force bases in the United States, a rare proposal within the conservative LDP.
In a report on Friday, Japan’s Kyodo News said Ishiba may face a make-or-break moment as the country’s prime minister, citing Yu Uchiyama, a political science professor at the University of Tokyo, as saying, adding the longevity of the new administration hinges on how drastic the next leader’s reforms will be. ■