FIFTH ATTEMPT
The 67-year-old’s effective leadership charge after four failed attempt puts the self-confessed lone dog at the head of a Liberal Democratic Party that has ruled , Japan , for most of the previous seven years.
Ishiba assumes control of the party in crisis after seeing declining public support over the past two years as a result of accusations of links to a church that some have criticized as a cult and an investigation into undocumented donations.
Ishiba, a former defense secretary who left parliament in 1986 after a small banking career, was cut short by Fumio Kishida, who later became a party dissenter.
Ishiba, who has also served as crops minister, promised to walk some ministers and state agencies out of Tokyo to support revive , Japan’s dead areas. He has even proposed establishing an agency to handle the development of disaster shelters across disaster-prone , Japan.
FRICTION
His vocal opinions, including those calling for Kishida and another prime ministers to stage down, have made him opponents in the LDP.
Ishiba had to get the 20 votes he needed from other lawmakers to be eligible for the vote on Friday due to that animosity, which also stems from a four-year resignation to an opposition party in 1993.
Ishiba acknowledged that his unwillingness to compromise has raised problems with his associates after a first round of ballot put him through a run-off with financial security secretary Takaichi.
” I have certainly hurt numerous people’s feelings, caused uncomfortable activities, and made some experience. In an address addressed to LDP legislators who gathered at the party’s offices for the election, he sincerely apologized for all of my deficiencies.
Ishiba has had to rely on the support he has earned among rank-and-file people over the course of his four years in elections because of his lack of clout among politicians.
He has stayed in the open attention during his time apart from government with internet looks, social media posts and on YouTube, where he muses on issues ranging from , Japan’s falling population to ramen noodles.
He even makes fun of himself, citing his occasionally awkward fashion, pursuits, and ships and military aircraft models, some of which he displays on the bookshelves that column his political office in Tokyo.