Ex-Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida to become Japan's PM

Tokyo – Fumio Kishida, Japan’s longest-serving foreign minister in the last decade, will take over as the country’s new Prime Minister next week. In the election held on Wednesday for leadership of the Japanese ruling party, Kishida defeated Taro Kano – the minister in charge of the anti-Corona campaign. Kishida becomes the third Japanese Prime Minister in 15 months.

Last year, in August, Shinzo Abe, the longest-serving Prime Minister in Japanese history, resigned. Abe had said he was resigning so that his illness does not influence the country’s policies. Yoshihide Suga had defeated Kishida in the leadership election held at that time. At the time, Suga had also hinted that the party would contest the next elections under his leadership.

However, against the Coronavirus pandemic and Olympics’ background, an atmosphere of resentment was created against Suga’s leadership. Therefore, he announced his resignation at the beginning of this month. While resigning, Suga had backed Taro Kono’s name. But Kishida was elected by members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the election held on Wednesday. Analysts claim that Kishida’s victory was facilitated because of the backing by the established faction in the ruling party.

Kishida is considered a part of one of the select political families active in Japanese politics. His father and grandfather have been members of the Japanese parliament. Kishida, a moderate and liberal thinker, represents the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Kishida, who is focused heavily on the Japanese economy, had opposed former Prime Minister Abe’s ‘Abenomics’ policy.

Sources informed that Kishida would be sworn in as Prime Minister on October 4, next week. Analysts do not expect too many changes to the Japanese policy towards China during Kishida’s tenure. Chinese mouthpiece ‘Global Times‘ expressed hope that Kishida will not adopt an extreme stance regarding China in response to his selection.