Ishiba Launches New Cabinet, with Benefits Planned for Low Earners

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:35 JST, November 12, 2024

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba launched his second Cabinet on Monday night. As the leader of a ruling bloc that is now in the minority, Ishiba again showed he was ready to consider the views of opposition parties.

To get things rolling, policy research council chairmen from the Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner Komeito held a meeting Tuesday morning at the Diet Building on a comprehensive economic package, the administration’s most pressing task. The two parties plan to come to an agreement this week and move forward with talks with the Democratic Party for the People, as well as other opposition parties.

“We are the first ruling parties to be in the minority in 30 years,” Ishiba told reporters Tuesday morning at the Prime Minister’s Office. “We want to make sincere efforts to reflect diverse opinions.”

At a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day, Ishiba announced he would be travelling from Thursday to Nov. 21 to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru and the Group of 20 major economies summit in Brazil. Meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and others have been also arranged during Ishiba’s overseas travel as a way for him to demonstrate his diplomatic leadership.

Newly appointed Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Hiromasa Nakano told reporters after the Cabinet meeting: “The ministry [I serve] is directly linked to the safety and security of people’s lives and lifestyles. I will help build a government that people trust.”

In response to rising prices, the Ishiba Cabinet will prioritize measures such as benefits for low-income households.

At Tuesday’s meeting of policy research council chairmen, LDP chair Itsunori Onodera talked with Komeito counterpart Mitsunari Okamoto about their policy on holding discussions with opposition parties.

“[The prime minister] has asked that the LDP and Komeito work together to have sincere talks with opposition parties,” Onodera said.