Kishida Ties as 9th-Longest Serving Leader in Postwar Japan
12:20 JST, March 7, 2024
Tokyo (Jiji Press)—Fumio Kishida tied with Kakuei Tanaka as the ninth-longest serving prime minister in Japan’s post-World War II history, with Thursday marking his 886th day in office.
If Kishida manages to stay in office until the end of his tenure as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party at the end of September, his run would reach 1,093 days, surpassing Ryutaro Hashimoto as the eighth-longest serving prime minister, who held office for 932 days.
It is unclear whether Kishida will be re-elected as LDP president as he struggles with low public approval ratings amid criticism of the ruling party’s high-profile political funds scandal.
Some ruling and opposition party members speculate that Kishida may be considering calling a snap general election to coincide with three parliamentary by-elections in April or the end of the current parliamentary session in June.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Kishida said he would “continue to tackle issues one by one, placing importance on accumulating efforts,” referring to the challenges of recovering from the Noto Peninsula earthquake, regaining public trust in politics and overcoming deflation.
Tanaka took office in 1972 when he was 54 years old, becoming the youngest prime minister in the postwar period at that time. His achievements included normalizing diplomatic relations with China.
"Politics" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Promotes Revised NISA Investment Program to Young People; Kishida Focusing on Moving Money From Savings to Investment in a Safe Environment
-
Japan, U.S. to Join Forces on AI, Semiconductors; Seek to Counter China’s ‘Military-Civil Fusion’
-
Japan, U.S. to Work Together for Expanding Marine Product Supply Chains; Countering China’s Economic Coercion
-
84% of People Nationwide Say They Feel Japan’s National Security Is Under Threat
-
“High Probability” 2 MSDF Patrol Helicopters Collided near Torishima Island; 1 Dead, 7 Others Onboard Missing (Update 2)
JN ACCESS RANKING
- M6.0 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi Prefectures Observe 4 on Japanese Scale With No Risk of Tsunami
- China Mutes Memorialization of Reformer Hu Yaobang; Memories Could Spark Critique of Xi Administration
- Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
- U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
- UNRWA Director Describes Catastrophic Destruction in Gaza; Says Relief Trucks Robbed, ‘People’s Hearts Destroyed’