Month in office, Kishida wants to carry out policies promptly

The Yomiuri Shimbun

November 4, 2021

Marking his first month in office Thursday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he wants to implement policies as soon as possible, having gained the trust of the people in the House of Representatives election.

“I have been working with a sense of speed, from the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election, to the formation of the Cabinet, to the dissolution of the lower house and the general election,” he said to reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Citing measures to deal with the novel coronavirus pandemic as well as economic, foreign and security policies as important issues, Kishida said he also wants to proceed carefully.

Motegi replaces Amari

The LDP’s General Council decided Thursday to appoint Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi as the party’s secretary general, replacing Akira Amari, who offered to resign after losing in his single-seat constituency in Sunday’s election.

Motegi is expected to work on the promotion of party reform, an important point for LDP President Kishida, and to put in place a framework for the party to contest the House of Councillors election scheduled for next summer.

Kishida informed Motegi on Monday of his intention to appoint him to the post after Amari expressed his intention to resign. Kishida, a former foreign minister, will take on Motegi’s portfolio until the launch of the second Kishida Cabinet scheduled for Wednesday.

Motegi, 66, elected to the lower house for 10 terms from Tochigi Constituency No. 5, has held other key posts, including economy, trade and industry minister; chairperson of the party’s Policy Research Council; and head of the party’s Election Strategy Committee. He also serves as acting chairperson of the party’s Takeshita faction.