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91-652: According to "Role of the Reconstruction Agency", the agency will: 1. Plan, coordinate, and implement the national policy on reconstruction; 2. Bear the responsibility for a unified point of contact, assistance, etc. to local public bodies. The Reconstruction Agency was established to replace the Reconstruction Headquarters in response to the Great East Japan earthquake , created on June 24, 2011. The Reconstruction Agency

182-454: A Chinese-inspired legal system known as ritsuryō was enacted in the late Asuka period and early Nara period . It described a government based on an elaborate and rational meritocratic bureaucracy, serving, in theory, under the ultimate authority of the emperor ; although in practice, real power was often held elsewhere, such as in the hands of the Fujiwara clan , who intermarried with

273-566: A large collection of military-related plastic models, some of which are displayed at his office in the Diet. He is also a fan of the 1970s idol group Candies , is known to ride on sleeper trains to Tottori Prefecture as part of his interest in railways, and regards novelists Soseki Natsume and Ogai Mori as two of his favorite authors. Ishiba is also known as an avid reader, wherein he is noted to read three books daily, and stated that he "prefers reading more than mingle with his party collegues". He

364-573: A newly created office of Minister for Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economy. He was reported to have declined the offer of a cabinet post responsible for the government's upcoming security legislation. In spite of having been a vocal critic of factionalism in the LDP, Ishiba launched his own faction, the Suigetsukai, on 28 September 2015, with the aim of succeeding sitting prime minister, Shinzo Abe. With 19 members, excluding Ishiba, it

455-519: A path of peaceful development, abide by the principles and common understandings established in the four political documents between the two sides [China and Japan], have an objective and right perception of China, take active and rational China policy, take concrete efforts to comprehensively advance the strategic relationship of mutual benefit, and work with China to promote the sustained, sound and steady development of China-Japan relations ." While campaigning, Ishiba stated that Japan's alliance with

546-612: A pragmatic evaluation of the Chinese threat. Ishiba has criticized Kishida 's use of the phrase "Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow". In 2024, he stated that the reason the US did not defend Ukraine is that Ukraine is not part of a collective self-defense system like NATO . Ishiba argued that the war transformed the global security environment and with the absence of such a collective self-defense system in Asia, wars are likely to break out in

637-507: A selective dual surname system, which would allow married couples the option to retain their respective surnames. Ishiba has stated that this change should be subject to further discussion within the LDP to reach a consensus. Ishiba has expressed his support for same-sex marriage in Japan in his book, Conservative Politician (2024). However after becoming prime minister, Ishiba stated he would take relevant court rulings into consideration since

728-436: A short amount of time ... It's a tacit nuclear deterrent." In 2017, Ishiba reiterated: "Japan should have the technology to build a nuclear weapon if it wants to do so." In 2024, Ishiba said the region should consider introducing nuclear weapons if it wants an Asian version of NATO. Ishiba met his wife Yoshiko Nakamura when they were both students at Keio University . They got married in 1983 and have two daughters. Ishiba

819-547: A snap general election , where the ruling LDP coalition lost its majority for the first time since 2009 and suffering its second-worst result in party history. Ishiba has developed a reputation as a political maverick due to his willingness to criticize his party, as well as his relatively liberal stances on social issues; he supported a motion of no-confidence against the Miyazawa Cabinet in 1993 and criticized Abe throughout his second premiership, despite serving in

910-491: A total of 221 votes from both the first and second rounds, defeating Yoshihiko Noda of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan , who secured only 160 votes, following a second round runoff vote. Hours before the Diet assembled, Ishiba's first cabinet resigned, thus resulting in him making an effort to launch a second cabinet. However, it was agreed that his cabinet would mostly remain

1001-615: Is 'Prime Minister'. This English translation was informally used as the English translation of 'Grand Minister' before the introduction of the cabinet system. However, this was not the original English translation of 'Prime Minister', and a German translation, ' Minister President of the State' , was also used in the past. Before the adoption of the Meiji Constitution , Japan had in practice no written constitution . Originally,

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1092-677: Is a Christian , specifically a Protestant . He was baptised at the age of 18 in the Tottori Church of the United Church of Christ in Japan . In recent years he has attended the Evangelical CBMC 's National Prayer Breakfast. He also visits the Buddhist graves of his ancestors and worships at a Shinto shrine. Ishiba is known as an " otaku " with a very high interest in the military, vehicles, and trains, and keeps

1183-592: Is also the head of an intraparty ramen society that was established to promote the dish. Ishiba made headlines when he allowed a Japan Self-Defense Forces vehicle to be displayed at the Shizuoka Hobby Show, a trade fair for plastic and radio-controlled models. During the visit of former United States Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker in 2002, Ishiba presented a plastic model of the Lockheed P-3 Orion in their meeting at his office. When

1274-507: Is an undeniable fact that my remarks have hurt relevant parties, and I sincerely apologize. I will have to reflect (on my actions) and caution myself against repeating such an act." As a representative for a rural district in Tottori Prefecture (with the smallest population among the forty-seven prefectures) and former "Minister in charge of Overcoming Population Decline and Vitalizing Local Economy", Ishiba regularly emphasized

1365-517: Is known as a gunji otaku (military geek) and has a keen interest in military matters. He is known for having a lot of expertise related to weapons systems, legal issues about defense, and is also fond of building and painting models of aircraft and ships. Ishiba has repeatedly stated that he believes that Japan needs its own equivalent of the United States Marine Corps to be able to defend its many small islands. In 2010 when he

1456-506: Is nominated by both houses of the Diet , before the conduct of any other business. For that purpose, each conducts a ballot under the run-off system. If the two houses choose different individuals, then a joint committee of both houses is appointed to agree on a common nominee. Ultimately, however, if the two houses do not agree, the decision of the House of Representatives is deemed to be that of

1547-645: Is the head of government of Japan . The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its ministers of state. The prime minister also serves as the commander-in-chief of the Japan Self Defence Forces and is a sitting member of either house of the National Diet (typically the House of Representatives ). The emperor appoints as prime minister

1638-556: The 2021 election which was won by Fumio Kishida . After Kishida announced that he would step down in 2024, Ishiba ran for the fifth and final time in the LDP presidential election where he defeated Sanae Takaichi in a second round run-off, becoming the new party leader and prime minister–designate , and was formally elected Prime Minister by the National Diet on 1 October 2024. As prime minister, Ishiba almost immediately announced

1729-467: The 2021 Liberal Democratic Party leadership election , instead endorsing Taro Kono . Then-LDP leader and prime minister Fumio Kishida announced on 14 August 2024, that he would not seek re-election as LDP leader in the leadership election in September , effectively resigning as prime minister, following record-low approval ratings from an ongoing slush fund scandal and previous controversies with

1820-424: The 2023–2024 Japanese slush fund scandal . On 9 October, Ishiba dissolved the House of Representatives in preparation for the general election on 27 October. On the same day, the LDP decided to pull its endorsement of 12 politicians implicated in the slush fund scandal, and would not allow them to be elected via proportional representation should they lose in their single seat constituencies. Ishiba indicated that

1911-454: The DPJ -led cabinets, Kan and Noda Cabinets after the 2010 upper house election ; cf. Nejire Kokkai /"twisted Diets"). Unlike most of his counterparts in constitutional monarchies, the prime minister is both de jure and de facto chief executive. In most other constitutional monarchies, the monarch is at least nominal chief executive, while being bound by convention to act on the advice of

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2002-605: The December 2012 general election in which the LDP returned to government. Ishiba attracted considerable criticism for his statement in November 2013 that likened peaceful public protests against the new secrecy bill being introduced by his government to "acts of terrorism". He later withdrew the comment. In the September 2014 cabinet reshuffle , Abe moved Ishiba from his position as LDP Secretary-General and appointed him to

2093-546: The Hata Cabinet in 1994 and at least numerically the Second Hashimoto Cabinet of 1996 during its first year, but with an extra-cabinet cooperation (閣外協力, kakugai kyōryoku ) agreement with two parties, sufficient to ensure safe majorities for most government initiatives), and several cabinets with a majority in the House of Representatives, but without legislative majority of their own (most recently

2184-587: The Heian period and until briefly under the Meiji Constitution with the appointment of Sanjō Sanetomi in 1871. The office was replaced in 1885 with the appointment of Itō Hirobumi to the new position of Minister President of State, four years before the enactment of the Meiji Constitution, which mentions neither the Cabinet nor the position of Prime Minister explicitly. It took its current form with

2275-542: The Japan Self-Defense Forces in response to an appearance by Godzilla . Following Fukuda's resignation, Ishiba stood as a candidate for the LDP presidency. In the leadership election , held on 22 September 2008, Tarō Asō won with 351 of the 527 votes; Ishiba placed fifth and last with 25 votes. In Asō Cabinet , appointed on 24 September 2008, Ishiba was named as Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries . He called for Asō to resign after

2366-472: The Minister for Home Affairs . After graduating from Keio University , Ishiba worked at a bank before entering politics after his father's death. Ishiba was elected to the House of Representatives in the 1986 general election as a member of the LDP at the age of 29. As a Diet member, Ishiba specialized in agricultural policy and defense policy. He served as parliamentary vice minister of agriculture under

2457-706: The Mitsui Bank . His father died in 1981. Former prime minister Kakuei Tanaka , who was a friend of his father, served as chairman of the funeral committee. Tanaka encouraged Ishiba to become a politician to carry on his father's legacy. Ishiba left the bank in 1983 and began working in the secretariat of the Thursday Club, Kakuei Tanaka's faction of the Liberal Democratic Party . In the July 1986 election Ishiba ran as an LDP candidate in

2548-1080: The Philippines , India , France , Germany , the United Kingdom , and South Korea in order to form this "Asian NATO". He said that one of the policy's main goals is to protect Japan and that "the security environment surrounding us is the toughest since the end of World War II." This proposed security alliance was quickly dismissed by Daniel Kritenbrink , the United States Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs . Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also does not agree with Ishiba's idea for an Asian NATO as it does not fit with India's strategic goals. In response to Ishiba's comments regarding an Asian version of NATO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China spokesperson Lin Jian stated that "China hopes that Japan will learn from history, follow

2639-729: The Prime Minister's Trophy on behalf of the Japan Professional Sports Association and the Monodzukuri Nippon award on behalf of the Japanese Manufacturing Association. Shigeru Ishiba [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Shigeru Ishiba ( Japanese : 石破 茂 , Hepburn : Ishiba Shigeru , born 4 February 1957) is a Japanese politician serving as prime minister of Japan and president of

2730-794: The Tohoku region affected by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. The agency, as well as the Japan Business Federation , the Japan Association of Corporate Executives , the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry , and their affiliated corporations, formed the Reconstruction Design Council in response to the Great East Japan earthquake. Reconstruction Agency ( 復興庁 , Fukkō-chō ) ( Minato-ku , Tokyo ) The establishment of

2821-464: The deterrence capabilities of the Japan-US alliance. On his first call as prime minister with President Joe Biden , Ishiba said that he wants to further strengthen the U.S.–Japan Alliance. However, he did not mention his desire to make changes to the bilateral forces agreement that would be required in order to make the alliance more symmetrical. He said that he would find the chance to raise

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2912-510: The emperor at the Tokyo Imperial Palace . Conventionally, the prime minister is almost always the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives, or the leader of the senior partner in the governing coalition. But there have been three cabinet prime ministers from junior coalition partners ( Hitoshi Ashida : 1948, Morihiro Hosokawa : 1993 and Tomiichi Murayama : 1994), a few minority governments (most recently

3003-682: The imperial family in the Heian period , or by the ruling shōgun . Theoretically, the last ritsuryō code, the Yōrō Code enacted in 752, was still in force at the time of the Meiji Restoration . Under this system, the Daijō-daijin ( 太政大臣 , Chancellor of the Realm) was the head of the Daijō-kan (Department of State), the highest organ of Japan's pre-modern Imperial government during

3094-413: The problems between Japan and South Korea is Japan's failure to face up to its wartime responsibility. Ishiba has criticised Japan and its government during World War II, stating that "The government concluded that Japan was doomed to lose a war, yet entered it anyway. They should be held accountable for that", and similarly saying that "I cannot understand why their actions that led to the defeat of

3185-480: The Diet, drew criticism from opposition parties as it did not allow time for a debate at a budget committee meeting prior to the House's dissolution. Despite this resistance, the Lower House voted in favor of closing the extraordinary Diet session on 9 October. Ishiba was elected by the National Diet and appointed as Prime Minister by Emperor Naruhito at Tokyo Imperial Palace on 1 October 2024, becoming

3276-404: The Diet. If the House of Councillors does not make a nomination within 10 days of the House of Representatives' nomination, the House of Representatives' nomination becomes the Diet's decision. Therefore, the House of Representatives can theoretically ensure the appointment of any prime minister it wants. The nominee is then presented with his or her commission, and formally appointed to office by

3367-624: The Japanese government maintains two Boeing 777 , which replaced the Boeing 747-400 also in 2019. The aircraft is also used by the emperor , the members of the imperial family, and other high-ranking officials. They have the radio callsigns Japanese Air Force One and Japanese Air Force Two when operating on official business, and Cygnus One and Cygnus Two when operating outside of official business (e.g., on training flights). The aircraft always fly together on government missions, with one serving as

3458-751: The LDP in 1993, for the Japan Renewal Party . When the Japan Renewal Party merged with several other parties Ishiba became part of the New Frontier Party , but he was disillusioned by the constant struggles between Ozawa and non-Ozawa factions in the party and left in 1996. He rejoined the LDP the following year. Ishiba was reappointed parliamentary vice minister of Agriculture under the Mori Cabinet in July 2000 but

3549-483: The LDP presidential election, the new party officials under Ishiba were inaugurated. Ishiba appointed former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vice president of the party, while the outgoing Vice President Tarō Asō was made chief advisor, and Hiroshi Moriyama became secretary general. Shun'ichi Suzuki was made chairman of the General Council after Takaichi declined the post. Itsunori Onodera was made chairman of

3640-492: The LDP's affiliation with the Unification Church . Ishiba, alongside Sanae Takaichi and Shinjirō Koizumi emerged as the front runners to succeed him. In the leadership election on 27 September 2024, Ishiba narrowly defeated Takaichi in a second-round runoff, winning a total of 215 votes (52.57%) from 189 parliamentary members and 26 prefectural chapters, making him the new LDP leader and prime minister–designate ;

3731-495: The LDP's defeat in the 2009 Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election . Ishiba retained his seat in the 2009 House of Representatives election , otherwise a crushing defeat for the LDP. After Sadakazu Tanigaki was elected to replace Asō as party president , Ishiba was appointed chairman of the Policy Research Council, one of the top positions in the party. Ishiba was thus one of the most prominent LDP figures when

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3822-620: The Liberal Democratic Party ( LDP ) since 2024. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1986 and has served as Minister of Defense from 2007 to 2008 and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 2008 to 2009, as well as being the Secretary-General of the LDP from 2012 to 2014. Ishiba was born into a political family, with his father, Jirō Ishiba , serving as governor of Tottori Prefecture from 1958 to 1974 before later becoming

3913-491: The Policy Research Council and Shinjiro Koizumi chairman of the Election Strategy Committee. The appointments were seen as emphasizing stability in the party. On 30 September, Ishiba announced his plans to dissolve the House of Representatives on 9 October and called for snap general election to be held on 27 October 2024. This decision, which was announced before he was elected Prime Minister by

4004-400: The Reconstruction Agency received criticism for both the slow pace of its establishment, and for the location of its headquarters. Residents and officials in regions affected by the disaster, notably Yūhei Satō , governor of Fukushima Prefecture , publicly noted the lack of speed in which the agency was created: From the victims' perspective, I can't help but ask, 'Couldn't they have launched

4095-542: The Tottori at-large district and was elected to the House of Representatives. At the age of 29, he was the youngest member of the House at the time. As a junior Diet member, Ishiba specialised in agricultural policy, but the Gulf War in 1990 and a 1992 visit to North Korea spurred his interest in defense policy. He served as parliamentary vice minister of agriculture under the Miyazawa Cabinet , before defecting from

4186-549: The Trials were invalid due to the retroactively applying law argue that there were no mistakes in pre-war Japan at all. He argued there was both wrong and right in the pre-war era. Regarding the Nanjing Massacre , Ishiba said: "At the very least, the way prisoners of war were treated was incorrect, and military discipline was broken. We must also examine the civilian casualties which happened." He has refrained from using

4277-650: The US , which he referred to as asymmetrical, should be re-balanced and called for greater Japanese oversight of American military bases in Japan . He said Japan should use the Special Relationship between the US and UK as a model for creating an alliance with the US as equal partners. To become an equal partner, he said Japan must have its own military strategy and a "security system that can protect its own nation by itself". He also suggested that Japan Self-Defense Forces could be placed in Guam to strengthen

4368-560: The adoption of the Constitution of Japan in 1947. To date, sixty-five men have served this position. The longest-serving prime minister to date is Shinzo Abe , who served in non-consecutive two terms for 8 years, 267 days: from 26 September 2006 until 26 September 2007, and from 26 December 2012 until 16 September 2020. The shortest-serving prime minister to date is Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni , who served for fifty-four days: from 17 August until 9 October 1945. The prime minister

4459-525: The agency more quickly?' Legislation in the National Diet to establish the agency was slowed by the resignation of Prime Minister Naoto Kan in September 2011. The bill to create the agency passed in December 2011, nine months after the disaster occurred, delaying the opening of the agency until February 2012. Kan acknowledged the slow pace of government response to the disaster on March 3, 2011, and pledged to speed up recovery efforts. Residents displaced by

4550-655: The bounds of cabinet collective responsibility , the Japanese Cabinet is effectively an extension of the prime minister's authority. Located near the Diet building, the Office of the Prime Minister of Japan is called the Naikaku Sōri Daijin Kantei ( 内閣総理大臣官邸 ) . The original Kantei served from 1929 until 2002, when a new building was inaugurated to serve as the current Kantei. The old Kantei

4641-471: The cabinet. In contrast, the Constitution of Japan explicitly vests executive power in the Cabinet, of which the prime minister is the leader; this greatly enhances the prime minister's position compared to prime ministers in other parliamentary democracies. His countersignature is required for all laws and Cabinet orders. While most ministers in parliamentary democracies have some freedom of action within

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4732-578: The country , without giving accurate answers to Emperor Shōwa 's questions and without informing the public of the truth, are being left unquestioned as 'we are all heroes once we die.'" He said of the Tokyo Trials that, regardless of the issues in retroactively applying law, Japan is what it is because they "accepted the trials". He further stated that the Tokyo Trials did not condemn everything in pre-war Japan as wrong, and that those who argue

4823-632: The country's constitution regulated marriages. In a 2004 speech to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF), Ishiba, then Director General of the Japan Defense Agency , said that the SDF "has sometimes been made fun of as the ' autistic forces.' It's the autistic forces as in autistic children." The remark was apparently intended as a pun , as the word he used for "autistic forces" (自閉隊, Jihei-tai ) sounds similar to

4914-438: The economic policies under Kishida's premiership to steer Japan out of years of deflation. He has called for a more "fair" tax system and seeks to increase taxes such as the capital gains tax . He believes the economy can only improve if consumption increases and stated his commitment to raising the minimum wage to 1,500 yen per hour by the end of the decade. During the 2013 North Korean crisis , Ishiba stated that Japan had

5005-402: The election results. Commentators noted that his decision for the snap election election may jeopardize his leadership, as rising inflation and a funding scandal threaten his LDP's majority, prompting potential alliances with smaller parties amid growing economic concerns. On 11 November, Ishiba was reelected as prime minister of a minority government during a session of the Diet, after winning

5096-433: The election was dubbed "Ishibamania" by the foreign media. Ishiba's victory was described by commentators as unexpected and an upset, owing to his long history of failed leadership bids and his relative unpopularity with many LDP members of the National Diet. After his election, the Japanese stock market experienced a sudden drop in response to Ishiba's economic policies, which was named "Ishiba Shock". Three days after

5187-431: The first of whom was Itō Hirobumi taking office on 22 December 1885. The longest-serving prime minister was Shinzo Abe , who served over eight years, and the shortest-serving was Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni , who served fifty-four days. The current prime minister is Shigeru Ishiba , who succeeded Fumio Kishida on 1 October 2024, following the 2024 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election . In Japanese, due to

5278-418: The governments of both prime ministers. Ishiba was born on 4 February 1957, in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo , while his registered domicile was his father's hometown in the Yazu District of Tottori Prefecture . His father Jirō Ishiba was a government official then serving as Vice Minister of Construction . His mother was a teacher and a granddaughter of the Christian minister Michitomo Kanamori . Jirō Ishiba

5369-452: The issue with Biden in the future. Following his victory in the 2024 LDP presidential election , some South Korean media outlets have described Ishiba as a " dove " in regards to his perception of Japan's accountability in World War II. For example, in 2019 when South Korea decided to terminate the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) during the Japan–South Korea trade dispute , Ishiba stated that root of many of

5460-426: The legality of the invasion and paved the way for the first overseas deployment of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces without UN mandate, sending troops to Iraq in January 2004 to assist with reconstruction efforts. He left cabinet in September 2004. Ishiba was appointed as the Minister of Defense in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on 26 September 2007, serving in that post until 1 August 2008. Ishiba

5551-703: The length of time estimated to fully restore the region after the disaster, and be dissolved on March 3, 2021. A wooden tablet for the new agency was made from materials from the earthquake zone. Prime Minister Noda placed the tablet at the Akasaka Agency headquarters as a reminder of the responsibility to residents of the disaster-hit regions. The Reconstruction Agency established three Regional Offices for Reconstruction in Iwate , Miyagi , and Fukushima prefectures, and two smaller regional offices in Hachinohe , Aomori Prefecture and Mito , Ibaraki Prefecture . The agency also sought to work with business associations in Japan in order to establish or revive economic activity in

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5642-544: The nation for rejecting responsibility for World War II and Japanese colonisation . Specifically as it comes to Yasukuni, he has argued there is no need for active politicians to visit the shrine, citing that it is the Emperor's responsibility to visit the dead. He has said that it is particularly inappropriate for a prime minister to visit the Yasukuni Shrine due to concerns from China and South Korea. He has criticized visits by politicians as not essential to creating an environment where laws can be passed. Ishiba has not visited

5733-399: The need to address socioeconomic inequality between Japan's urban centers and rural areas, the latter of which faces population decline, aging demographics, and economic stagnation. On election night, Ishiba called on the LDP to propose a supplementary budget for the 2024 fiscal year, aimed at financing a stimulus package to help rural areas cope with rising costs. Ishiba intends to maintain

5824-406: The part of the prime minister (for example, Kiichi Miyazawa ). The Prime Minister also awards individuals in recognition of their accomplishments in sport, entertainment, and other fields. Some of the awards and commendations offered include the Prime Minister's Award, created by Eisaku Satō in 1966, and the People's Honour Award , created by Takeo Fukuda in 1977. Additionally, the PM also presents

5915-432: The party was in opposition. He was removed when Tanigaki reshuffled the party leadership in September 2011. In September 2012, while the LDP was still in opposition, Ishiba again stood for the presidency of the LDP and was narrowly defeated by former prime minister Shinzo Abe . He accepted the position of secretary-general on 27 September 2012. Ishiba was re-appointed to the position under Abe's second premiership after

6006-474: The party would resume support for the politicians if they win reelection. Other politicians who have been disciplined by the party over the slush fund scandal would also not be allowed to run on the LDP's proportional representation list. Despite these measures, LDP still faced its most serious defeat since the 2009 election , with 67 seats lost and therefore its majority in the Diet. On the next day, Ishiba expressed his intention to remain as Prime Minister despite

6097-400: The person who is nominated by the National Diet (the parliament). The prime minister must retain the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office. The prime minister lives and works at the Naikaku Sōri Daijin Kantei (Prime Minister's Official Residence) in Nagatachō , Chiyoda , Tokyo , close to the National Diet Building . Sixty-five men have served as prime minister,

6188-428: The premiership of Kiichi Miyazawa but left the LDP in 1993 to join the Japan Renewal Party . After transitioning through several parties and returning to the LDP in 1997, Ishiba held various prominent positions, including Director-General of the Defense Agency under the premiership of Junichiro Koizumi , Minister of Defense under the premiership of Yasuo Fukuda and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries under

6279-499: The premiership of Tarō Asō . Ishiba became a key figure within the LDP, running for party leadership multiple times. First in 2008 where he placed fifth, and notably against Shinzo Abe in the 2012 and 2018 elections . Despite his criticisms of LDP factionalism , he established his own faction, Suigetsukai , in 2015, aiming for leadership. After Abe's second resignation, Ishiba ran in 2020 but placed third behind Yoshihide Suga . Ishiba declined to run and endorsed Taro Kono in

6370-427: The primary transport and the other serving as a backup with maintenance personnel on board. The aircraft are officially referred to as Japanese government exclusive aircraft ( 日本国政府専用機 , Nippon-koku seifu sen'yōki ) . Until the mid-1930s, the prime minister of Japan was normally granted a hereditary peerage ( kazoku ) prior to leaving office if he had not already been ennobled. Titles were usually bestowed in

6461-418: The ranks of count , viscount or baron , depending on the relative accomplishments and status of the prime minister. The two highest ranks, marquess and prince , were only bestowed upon highly distinguished statesmen, and were not granted to a prime minister after 1928. The last prime minister who was a peer was Baron Kijūrō Shidehara , who served as Prime Minister from October 1945 to May 1946. The peerage

6552-522: The region as there is no obligation for mutual defense. He therefore stated that an Asian collective security alliance is necessary in order to deter China. In September 2024, Ishiba claimed that the "relative decline of U.S. might" necessitates an Asian version of NATO to counter security threats from China, Russia, and North Korea. With the US-Japan alliance at its core, Ishiba proposed strengthening alliance relationships with Australia , Canada ,

6643-499: The regional security situation as among his primary concerns, describing the former as a "quiet emergency" and the latter as at its "most severe since the end of World War II ". He also pledged to continue efforts to ensure the emergence of the Japanese economy from deflation and called for stabilization in the membership of the Imperial House of Japan amid a lack of male successors to the throne . He also expressed regret for

6734-540: The right to deliver a preemptive strike against North Korea . Ishiba is a vocal supporter of Taiwanese democracy . At the same time, he has called for stronger diplomacy and engagement with China, rather than antagonism. In his memoir written during the Russian invasion of Ukraine , Ishiba argued that equating the Russian invasion with a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan stems more from emotional reactions rather than

6825-666: The same. Ishiba's re-election would also mark the first time in 30 years that any Japanese prime minister needed a runoff vote. Ishiba has been described as a centrist , a moderate conservative , and a reformist , particularly during the 2024 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election . While he was cited as a member of the ultranationalist far-right organisation Nippon Kaigi , he has been criticized by nationalist commentators for his "traitorous acts", and for being "anti-Japan", and has pointed to Japan's failure to face its war responsibilities as underlying "many of its problems". Ishiba has expressed support for introducing

6916-788: The senior second rank posthumously. Certain distinguished prime ministers have been posthumously raised to the first rank; the last such award was to Eisaku Sato in 1975. Since the 1920s, following their tenure in office, Prime ministers have typically been conferred with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers (until 2003 a special higher class of the Order of the Rising Sun), depending on tenure and eminence. However, honours may be withheld due to misconduct or refusal on

7007-486: The shrine since he gained his first cabinet post in 2002. He instead visits his local Gokoku Shrines every 15 August. He is also an advocate of separating Class A war criminals from the shrine. He has defended the Murayama Statement , commenting after Sanae Takaichi said she felt uncomfortable with the statement in 2013 that he would like the party to "refrain from making misleading statements". Ishiba

7098-506: The special nature of the work of the head of government, the prime minister's titles vary depending on context, sometimes demonstrating his/her role. Since the inception of the cabinet system , the prime minister is known in Japanese as Naikaku Sōri-Daijin (内閣総理大臣) whenever he is referred to as the head of the Cabinet. However, this title is usually abbreviated to Sōri-Daijin (総理大臣). Other abbreviations include Sōri (総理), Shushō (首相) or even Saishō (宰相). The official English rendering

7189-1002: The tsunami have opposed Agency-led plans to rebuild towns on higher land away from the coast, and see it as a disconnect between the central government and the population in the Tōhoku region. After a strict review of initial projects, the Agency approved a large number of projects in a second round of reviews in May 2012, including funds for urban and agricultural renewal. Prime Minister of Japan Naruhito [REDACTED] Fumihito [REDACTED] Shigeru Ishiba ( LDP ) Second Ishiba Cabinet ( LDP – Komeito coalition ) [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Fukushiro Nukaga Kōichirō Genba [REDACTED] Masakazu Sekiguchi Hiroyuki Nagahama Saburo Tokura Kazuo Ueda The prime minister of Japan ( Japanese : 内閣総理大臣 , Hepburn : Naikaku Sōri-Daijin )

7280-463: The twenty-fifth Liberal Democratic Prime Minister. Ishiba announced key appointments ahead of the snap general election on 27 October 2024. His Cabinet included rivals from the leadership race, though Sanae Takaichi's exclusion created some internal party friction. Uniting the divided ruling party became a primary focus for Ishiba after the closely contested leadership race. In his first policy speech on 4 October, Ishiba named Japan's low birth rate and

7371-448: The word massacre to describe it. When it comes to comfort women , he has stated there was "coercion in the narrow sense", clarifying he meant forced abduction by the government and military. Regarding visits to Yasukuni Shrine by state officials and statements rejecting the wrongs of Japan during World War II, he has questioned if this is in national interest, citing incidents where countries such as South Korea have become upset at

7462-465: The word for Self-Defence Forces (自衛隊; Jiei-tai ). The comment was meant to criticize the SDF for their poor communication, which resulted in a lack of public understanding about their activities. His comment was criticized as being inappropriate and showing a lack of awareness for autistic people. Ishiba later apologized for the comparison, saying "I had read an article that had such a reference, but (my remarks) were truly inappropriate", and added: "It

7553-538: Was abolished when the Constitution of Japan came into effect in May 1947. Certain eminent prime ministers have been awarded the Order of the Chrysanthemum , typically in the degree of Grand Cordon. The highest honour in the Japanese honours system, the Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum, has only been conferred upon select prime ministers and eminent statesmen; the last such award to a living prime minister

7644-766: Was elected Governor of Tottori Prefecture in 1958, so the family moved to Tottori; Ishiba has no memory of living in Tokyo. Jirō Ishiba would serve as governor until 1974, and was later elected to the House of Councillors and served as Minister for Home Affairs in the Zenkō Suzuki Cabinet . Shigeru Ishiba grew up and attended school in Tottori Prefecture. After graduating from Tottori University Junior High School, he moved away to attend Keio Senior High School , going on to study law at Keio University in Tokyo. After graduating in 1979, he began working at

7735-641: Was headed by the Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda . Noda was named direct head of the agency in an effort to strengthen the leadership of the organization. Tatsuo Hirano , a native of Iwate Prefecture , served as the agency's first Minister of State for Disaster Management until he was replaced by Osamu Fujimura on June 4, 2012. The Reconstruction Agency is not part of the Cabinet Office , but will have authority over other government ministries. The agency will exist for ten years,

7826-513: Was one member short of the 20 votes required for nomination for LDP leadership. Ishiba left cabinet in the April 2016 reshuffle , having declined the ministry of Agriculture. Ishiba challenged Abe in the 2018 LDP presidential election but was defeated again. In 2020, following Shinzo Abe's second resignation, Ishiba ran for the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party , losing to Yoshihide Suga , placing third overall. Ishiba declined to run in

7917-464: Was policy chief for the LDP in opposition, and as secretary-general of the party in March 2013 after the LDP regained government. In 2011, Ishiba backed the idea of Japan maintaining the capability of building nuclear weapons . He said: "I don't think Japan needs to possess nuclear weapons, but it's important to maintain our commercial reactors because it would allow us to produce a nuclear warhead in

8008-605: Was switched to the position of deputy director general of the Defense Agency in December. He was replaced when the Koizumi Cabinet was appointed. When Koizumi reshuffled the cabinet in September 2002, Ishiba became Director General of the Defense Agency, entering the cabinet for the first time. Ishiba served as director general during the 2003 invasion of Iraq by an American-led coalition. He defended

8099-426: Was the second person in the cabinet of Fukuda to express belief in the existence of UFOs after Nobutaka Machimura . Asked on a response to a hypothetical appearance of a UFO, Ishiba said that it would be "difficult" to determine if such an incident amounted to an airspace violation, saying that a UFO was technically not an aircraft from a foreign country. In the same interview, he jokingly said that he would mobilize

8190-525: Was then converted into the Official Residence, or Kōtei ( 公邸 ) . The Kōtei lies to the southwest of the Kantei, and is linked by a walkway. The prime minister of Japan travels in a Toyota Century . The Lexus LS 600h L , which served as the prime minister's official car from 2008 to 2019, became a spare/alternative vehicle used by the Prime Minister till present. For overseas air travel,

8281-403: Was to Saionji Kinmochi in 1928. More often, the Order of the Chrysanthemum has been a posthumous distinction; both the Collar and Grand Cordon of the order were last awarded posthumously to former prime minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022. After relinquishing office, the prime minister is normally accorded the second or senior third rank in the court order of precedence, and is usually raised to

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