Shigeru Ishiba Becomes Japan’s New Prime Minister
Shigeru Ishiba, a 67-year-old former defense minister, has been appointed as Japan’s 102nd prime minister. This follows the resignation of Fumio Kishida and his cabinet.
Resignation of Kishida: Earlier in the day, Fumio Kishida and his ministers stepped down during a cabinet meeting. Kishida received a warm farewell from his staff, who presented him with bouquets.
Leadership Change: On Friday, Ishiba was chosen as the leader of the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), defeating economic security minister Sanae Takaichi in a runoff vote. Takaichi received 194 votes, while Ishiba secured 215 votes, narrowly missing the chance to become Japan’s first woman prime minister.
Kishida’s Statement: Kishida, who announced his resignation in August, reflected on his three-year term, stating, “Since the inauguration of my cabinet three years ago, as our country faces ‘turning points between eras,’ we have confronted challenges that cannot be postponed and have steadily advanced initiatives to ‘turn change into strength’ in the fields of economic and social policy and diplomacy.”
Next Steps: Ishiba, who has also served as Japan’s agriculture minister, is expected to select new LDP executives soon and form his cabinet after being formally elected prime minister.
Doubts Revealed
Shigeru Ishiba -: Shigeru Ishiba is a Japanese politician who has just become the new Prime Minister of Japan. He is 67 years old and used to be the defense minister.
Prime Minister -: A Prime Minister is the leader of the government in some countries, like Japan. They make important decisions and help run the country.
Japan -: Japan is a country in Asia, made up of many islands. It is known for its technology, culture, and history.
Fumio Kishida -: Fumio Kishida is the previous Prime Minister of Japan who resigned. He was in office for three years.
Liberal Democratic Party -: The Liberal Democratic Party is a political party in Japan. Political parties are groups of people who have similar ideas about how the government should be run.
Runoff vote -: A runoff vote is a second round of voting. It happens when no one gets enough votes to win in the first round.
Cabinet -: A cabinet is a group of top leaders in the government chosen by the Prime Minister. They help make important decisions and run different parts of the government.
Economic and social policy -: Economic policy is about how the government manages money and resources. Social policy is about how the government helps people with things like health, education, and welfare.