EDITORIAL | As PM Kishida Steps Back, Successor Candidates Have Big Shoes to Fill

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced that he will not be a candidate in the September election for ruling Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) president. Since the majority party president is usually elected as the prime minister, his service as the head of government will also end. Kishida launched his Cabinet in October 2021 and will have served in office for about three years. 

The Kishida administration and the LDP have been struggling with rock-bottom voter approval ratings due to "politics and money" issues. These were precipitated by LDP factions' failure to report fundraising income from parties, especially the Abe faction.

When an administration loses the public's trust, it becomes difficult to implement various policies. In that event, it becomes doubtful whether the ruling party would be able to win a national election. Therefore, Kishida's announcement was not surprising. 

Kishida told the press, "The first and most obvious step to demonstrate that the LDP is changing was for me to step down." 

Concerning the issue of politics and money, Kishida caused considerable dissatisfaction by punishing lawmakers from other factions. However, he did not take responsibility for the problems in his own Kishida faction. Support of the prime minister in public opinion polls plummeted. Moreover, his ability to keep the LDP unified was also fading. He should have accepted responsibility sooner.

High Marks for Foreign and Security Policy

On the other hand, Prime Minister Kishida deserves high marks in several areas. 

This is because he made progress without making mistakes while implementing foreign and security policies that are the foundation of Japan's peace, security, and prosperity. 

He quickly responded to the major changes in the international situation caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As a member of the G7, Japan condemned Russia's invasion and began to support Ukraine.

Prime Minister Kishida astutely recognized that the international community had entered the stormy "post-Cold War era." He also pointed out that "Ukraine may be tomorrow's East Asia."

In this harsh security environment, the government decided to drastically strengthen Japan's defense capabilities. That included acquiring counterattack capabilities and increasing defense spending. Prime Minister Kishida can be proud of his achievement. He further advanced the security policy initiated by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Kishida forged a close relationship with US President Joe Biden. Improving the response and deterrent capabilities of the Japan-US alliance was high on his agenda. Furthermore, Kishida worked wholeheartedly to protect the Japanese people out of a sense of crisis that a Taiwan contingency could become a Japan emergency. 

Leadership that Kept the Country Strong and Stable

Kishida deserves praise for promoting the restart of nuclear power plants in Japan, which provide a stable source of power. He also proceeded safely with the release of ALPS treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station into the ocean. 

Moreover, he worked hard to help the Japanese economy completely escape deflation. In doing so, he promoted wage increases and other measures that affect everyone.

Also domestically, Kishida deserves high praise for progress in securing a stable imperial succession. It is the imperial family which forms the foundation for the nation. The government panel of experts presented its report to the Diet during Kishida's watch. It takes preservation of the male-line succession as a given.

Unfinished Business of Constitutional Revision

Regarding updating the constitution, Prime Minister Kishida expressed his intention to hold a first public referendum. For that, he wanted to include questions regarding the creation of an emergency clause and the explicit mention of the Self-Defense Forces. Unfortunately, however, the political parties favoring constitutional revision could not manage to draft agreed amendments.

As president of the largest political party in Japan, if Prime Minister Kishida had demonstrated leadership earlier, perhaps public opinion regarding constitutional revision and imperial succession might have been different.

From now we are likely to see a rush of announcements by candidates wishing to enter the LDP presidential election. LDP lawmakers and party members must bear in mind that this presidential election could well be their party's last chance to regain the trust of the electorate. 

The Candidates Should Debate Policy 

We are now in an era where the selection of prime minister or party president will have a real effect on politics. Moreover, the Japanese people are well aware that the peace and prosperity of the nation will be greatly affected by who becomes the political leader of the nation.

At this point, if the election of the LDP's new president is staged as a popularity contest, the public will see it as a mere change of face. Instead, those politicians who throw their hats into the LDP presidential race must discuss the specifics of their proposed policies. 

Moreover, the key point they must address is how to protect Japan and ensure its prosperity. The new leader will need to further advance foreign and security policies designed to significantly strengthen defense capabilities. 

Regarding the question of imperial succession, the new government should steadily promote the contents of the report presented to the Diet. Furthermore, several political parties have endorsed the report.

The next LDP president should call together all the political parties amenable to constitutional reform. With them, it should establish a forum for discussions on how to approach the drafting of the new constitutional amendments. It should also set a goal for when these constitutional amendments are to be ready.

Seeking A New Leader Who 'Gets Things Done'

Possible emergencies are not limited to the security dimension. Preparations for catastrophic natural disasters are also essential. Concerns about a mega-quake centered in the Nankai Trough or a strong local earthquake whose epicenter is under the Tokyo Metropolitan area underscore this point. 

Whether it be wage increases, economic growth, social security system reform, or measures to combat declining births, there is no time to delay. In short, Japan needs a leader who will get things done. 

Prime Minister Kishida will continue to lead the government until the new LDP president takes office as prime minister. At present in the Middle East, the conflict between Iran and Israel is intensifying. There are even growing concerns about a "Fifth Arab-Israeli War." During these troubled times, we must not allow any gaps in terms of economic security or the protection of Japanese citizens.

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(Read the editorial in Japanese.)

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun