EDITORIAL | Ishiba Must Build on Past PMs' Security, Diplomacy Policies

The election for leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is over. On September 28, former party secretary-general Shigeru Ishiba defeated Minister of State for Economic Security Sanae Takaichi in the runoff vote. Ishiba was thereby elected as the LDP's new president. 

Ishiba should be nominated as prime minister at the extraordinary Diet session on October 1. Thereafter, the new Cabinet is expected to be inaugurated after an investiture ceremony at the Imperial Palace.

After his election, Ishiba said, "I want to devote my entire body and soul to keeping the nation safe and secure."

Most LDP factions had already opted to disband. Thereafter, a record nine candidates vied in what became a fierce election to head the party.

In the first round in which all the candidates were included, Ishiba came in second behind Takaichi. But he then managed to best her by a slim margin of 21 votes. Under the circumstances, it can hardly be said that he enjoys a strong base of support within the party. 

Unity Needed to Revive LDP's Fortunes

Voters continue to view the LDP through a harsh lens due to the issue of money in politics. Ishiba and the LDP must come together to manage national affairs effectively. The appointment of party officials and Cabinet members should therefore ensure the right people are placed in the right positions. That should include consideration of rival candidates in the LDP presidential election. 

All LDP Diet members should unite and support the new president.

We look to Ishiba and the LDP as a whole to respect and uphold the conservative spirit. The LDP's platform calls for "establishing a Japan that is true to its Japanese character" and it identifies itself as a "conservative political party." It must not deviate from this basic line. 

Surnames of Married Couples

The issue of whether or not the option to allow married couples to have separate surnames should be left for a later day. This issue was discussed during the presidential election. Although Ishiba has indicated that he favors such a change, it is not an issue a conservative party should champion. 

How surnames are used involves the very basis of the family and social system. Changing this would amount to compulsory separate surnames for parents and children. Furthermore, it would wreak havoc with the family registry (koseki) system. This is not a question of individual freedom, and might well lead to division not just within the LDP but society as a whole. 

Instead, we would like to see improvement in how maiden names are used. 

Safeguarding Japan and the People

The most important duty of a political leader is to safeguard the nation and the Japanese people. This is carried out through diplomacy and national security measures. 

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered the "free and open Indo-Pacific" concept to the international community. Moreover, he achieved recognition of the exercise of the right of collective self-defense, albeit to a limited degree. 

Yoshihide Suga, when he was prime minister, joined with the United States in emphasizing the "importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait." More recently, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government took the significant decisions to spend ¥43 trillion JPY ($302.4 billion USD) on defense over five years and to acquire a counterstrike capability. These decisions initiated a drastic strengthening of our nation's defense capabilities. 

Ishiba must ensure that he continues, and further develops, the diplomatic and security policies established by Abe, Suga, and Kishida. He should also explain how he proposes to deal with the threats posed by nuclear-armed authoritarian nations such as China, Russia, and North Korea. As PM Kishida has often explained, maintaining support for Ukraine in its fight for freedom is also critical.

The Asian NATO Idea

One possible cause for concern is Ishiba's expressed desire to create an Asian version of NATO. Before taking this further, Mr Ishiba should provide concrete details about how exactly that would work. It would certainly demand a considerable investment in terms of time and political energy, including for the resolution of constitutional issues and relatively lengthy negotiations with other countries. 

Meanwhile, shouldn't we prioritize preventing a Taiwan emergency, which might well arise during the next several years? Bolstering the response and deterrent capabilities of the Japan-US alliance is also essential.

Resolving the Abductions

Resolution of the issue of the abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea cannot be put off. Ishiba has called for the establishment of liaison offices in Tokyo and Pyongyang to serve as "footholds for negotiation." 

The association of family members of abductees is concerned that such an initiative would be used to further delay resolution. Before the next step, there should be serious discussions with the family association and others directly involved. 

Protecting the Imperial Succession

In order to protect Japan for the next 1,000 or 2,000 years, we must reaffirm a stable imperial succession system. The LDP, as a party, has expressed support for a report from the Kishida Cabinet. Its report advocates maintaining succession through the patrilineal line. 

It should be emphasized that, during the presidential election, Ishiba announced that he would abide by the party policy. 

Constitutional Revision

In 2025, the LDP will mark the 70th anniversary of its founding. Constitutional revision has been a fundamental principle of the party's platform since its inception. Draft amendments to achieve that should be finalized during the upcoming extraordinary Diet session. 

As the amendment progresses, the first priority should be the specific recognition of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF). Aside from the defense of the nation, there is growing concern about the possibility of large-scale disasters. For example, what if there was an earthquake directly beneath the capital or another national emergency in Japan? 

There is also an urgent need to create emergency provisions to secure the nation. These include providing for the issuance of emergency governmental decrees. As LDP president, Ishiba should work to persuade coalition partner Komeito to support these necessary changes. 

Ensuring a Fair and Full Economic Recovery

Japan also faces other pressing problems. The new government should strive to ensure sustainable wage increases reach all workers. These must exceed the rising prices and aim to help Japan completely escape deflation. 

Measures to address the nation's declining population caused by falling births and an aging population must also continue to be a priority. Furthermore, reforms to the social security system are also essential.

Restoring Faith in Politics

The LDP's responses to the "politics and money" issue remain important. All necessary steps should be taken to prevent a recurrence of the ill-considered practice of not reporting party income. Above all, the party leader should ensure full transparency regarding political funds. Trust in the government must be restored if the LDP is to implement its policies. 

There is already talk of an early dissolution of the House of Representatives and a general election. During the extraordinary Diet session, Ishiba should use his policy speech to unveil his vision for the nation and his proposed policies in their entirety. Furthermore, he must answer the outstanding questions. Those provide the information on which the electorate needs to base their votes.

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(Read the editorial in Japanese.)

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun