Japan’s embattled PM had a cruel summer – it ends with his exit 17 hours ago Shaimaa Khalil Tokyo correspondent It’s been a cruel summer for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
(Mis)managing the problem Mr Kishida vowed to tackle the crisis “head on”, but the way he handled it became part of the criticism too.
While his popularity at home was nose-diving, Mr Kishida had done well on the international stage.
He was Japan’s longest-serving foreign minister before becoming prime minister.
Mr Kishida was swamped with fighting on so many fronts – and his party and voters ran out of patience.
With his resignation, Japan’s beleaguered prime minister’s cruel summer comes to an end.
17 hours prior.
Khalil Shaimaa.
Reporter from Tokyo.
Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, has had a difficult summer.
A string of controversies that involved the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), close allies of Mr. Kishida, and even his family had jeopardized his employment.
The fact that this occurred while living expenses skyrocketed and LDP dissatisfaction erupted did not alleviate the leader’s situation.
His ratings for approval fell to all-time lows. A test was approaching during all of this: the September party leadership contest.
Although some observers predicted he would run for a second term, it wasn’t shocking when he declared he was quitting the party presidential race. This means he won’t be prime minister when the LDP selects a new leader in September.
He was unable to be saved despite his diplomatic victories, which included an ambitious budget to increase military spending, closer ties with the US, and a historic détente with South Korea.
The 67-year-old stated in his typically composed voice to a group of reporters on Wednesday, “The obvious first step to show that the LDP will change is for me to step aside.”.
Everything about him except his words suggested that everything was normal.
Scandal following scandal.
Fumio Kishida, a seasoned politician, assumed the position in 2021. As Japan weathered one of its worst COVID waves, his predecessor Yoshihide Suga resigned after just one year in office due to low approval ratings.
Mr. Kishida led the LDP into a general election and emerged as the leader of a victorious coalition just one month into his tenure as prime minister.
He is a decent and intelligent man who is a fairly conservative politician, according to those who know him well and have worked with him, as reported by the BBC. Some claim he is a cunning tactician who shouldn’t be dismissed lightly.
Mr. Kishida’s polite demeanor obscured the fact that he was occasionally erratic and obstinate. Consider his precipitous and risky decision to dissolve his own faction within the party, which prompted the dissolution of others. Cliques like these, which have existed for as long as the party itself, are an important source of funding and favors.
His stance had been deemed unsustainable by many for months, in part due to his vacillating approach towards addressing the issues that surrounded him. He persisted despite growing discontent among LDP members. However, the signs were obvious.
Professor of political science at Temple University in Japan, Hiromi Murakami, remarked a few weeks before Mr. Kishida made the decision to resign: “People are so tired now.”. It keeps piling up. The fundraising scandal is not the only one. “.
Controversial at first, the LDP started the year low. Four cabinet ministers—including important allies of the prime minister—as well as a number of junior ministers resigned in December over claims that LDP leaders were keeping millions of dollars in party funds for themselves.
More information came to light during a public prosecutor’s investigation, and the LDP eventually claimed that 85 of its members had not accurately disclosed their income.
This controversy is the most recent in a string of scandals that have dogged his term. The previous year, he fired his executive secretary son after it came to light that he had abused his position to host a party at the residence of the prime minister.
Furthermore, the LDP was already in disarray due to news reports linking it to the contentious Unification Church, which was implicated in the murder of former prime minister Shinzo Abe.
The aftermath of all these scandals continued to linger as 2024 drew on. There were also fresh ones.
Following the resignation of two lawmakers, one of whom was charged with buying votes and the other of whom was connected to the fundraising investigation, the LDP lost two seats in a by-election held in April.
The allegations of fraud, harassment of subordinates, and improper handling of sensitive and confidential information rocked the Defense Ministry in July. Thereafter, numerous disciplinary actions, suspensions, and even terminations occurred.
As per a survey conducted by the daily Asahi Shimbun, the LDP’s approval ratings had plummeted to 19%, the lowest since 2000.
Handling the issue incorrectly.
Although Mr. Kishida promised to address the crisis “head-on,” his methods also came under fire.
He made a rare appearance before the political ethics committee, but he didn’t seem sure of himself and didn’t want to talk much.
His coalition brought about changes to election funding in June, but the public was not convinced. Despite spending a great deal of time on it, nothing came of it. He ought to have taken action sooner; it was too late, according to Professor Murakami.
He attempted to placate irate voters and lessen the effects of inflation in June by implementing a short-term tax relief program. However, it didn’t seem like it went far enough to some.
Mr. Kishida summarized his tenure at the end of June, when he reached the 1,000-day milestone, saying, “It has been constantly tense… I’ve found myself grappling with many issues both at home and abroad.”.
Not to be outdone, disgruntled party colleagues feared having an unpopular leader on the PM ticket ahead of next year’s general election, and in June there were also rumblings about “post-Kishida” candidates, loud enough to make it into the national media.
“They believe they are going to fail with him in charge. Asian studies and history professor Jeff Kingston of Temple University told the BBC at the time, “They’re in panic mode.”.
Even though there have been other corruption scandals, this most recent one happened during a difficult period.
People’s mentalities were impacted by the economic climate, according to Prof. Murakami. The [Covid] crisis had caused a great deal of suffering for people. They’re struggling to make ends meet. But now they’re seeing politicians with large fortunes for which they won’t pay taxes,” the speaker said, alluding to the LDP’s acknowledgement that some members of parliament had misreported their earnings.
Mr. Kishida had performed admirably abroad, despite his declining popularity at home. Prior to becoming prime minister, he served as Japan’s longest-serving foreign minister. In his capacity as prime minister, he oversaw the G7 meeting the previous year, traveled to Ukraine, and improved ties with South Korea—a vital ally in the fight against both China and North Korea.
As good as ever are relations with Washington. At President Biden’s invitation, he spoke to Congress earlier this year, and he was met with a standing ovation.
He thanked the people in attendance. “I never receive such warm applause from the Japanese Diet [parliament].”.
The visit was met with criticism by the home media in Japan, where one headline read, “Kishida shouldn’t use the summit as a tool for domestic politics.”.
He was unsuccessful if that was the goal. Mr. Kishida’s party and the electorate lost patience with him because he was fighting on too many fronts.
According to Prof. Kingston, “People vote on pocketbook issues.”. That he is parading around the US, the EU, and NATO is fantastic. I would like to see more money in my wallet at the end of the day. “.
According to Mr. Kishida, the LDP has to start over and persuade the Japanese people that it is capable of adapting.
There’s a lot of mistrust within the ruling party, but the opposition is still too weak and divided to be a serious contender.
September will reveal whether a new face at the head of state can restore the Liberal Democratic Party’s damaged reputation.
