Last week, Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chose Kishida as its new leader. This came as former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in early September announced he wasn’t running run for the head of the LDP.
Japanese lawmakers voted on 4 October to approve the country’s ex-Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida as new prime minister. Kishida is now expected to announce a cabinet after the government resigned earlier today.
The LDP chose Fumio Kishida as its new leader last week. Japanese media earlier suggested that Toshimitsu Motegi is set to be retained as foreign minister in the new cabinet, while Shunichi Suzuki will be tapped as finance minister and Hirokazu Matsuno – as chief cabinet secretary.
Kishida reportedly plans to dissolve the House of Representatives on 14 October. According to NHK, an election for Japan’s lower house will be convened on 31 October.
Kishida’s main rival in the elections, Taro Kono, was previously put in charge of the party’s public relations. For the past several years, Kono has not held a post below minister. He used to head the Foreign Ministry and the Defence Ministry, then he became minister for administrative reform and was responsible for vaccinations. Japanese media outlets have already called this appointment a “demotion”.
In September, former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced his decision to step down amid plummeting popularity over his handling of the coronavirus response, including the slow rollout of vaccines. Four people were bidding for the post — Vaccination Minister Taro Kono, former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, former Interior Minister Sanae Takaichi, and LDP Executive Acting Secretary General Seiko Noda.
Sputnik