Fumio Kishida (OG).Fumio Kishida
Fumio Kishida, born on July 29, 1957, in Tokyo, Japan, is a notable Japanese politician who has served as the country's Prime Minister since October 4, 2021. Coming from a political lineage, with both his father and grandfather being influential politicians, Kishida was immersed in the world of politics from an early age. His education included time spent in the United States, where he experienced both inspiration and discrimination, followed by studies in law at Waseda University. He began his political career in 1987 as an assistant to his father, quickly transitioning into the House of Representatives after his father's passing in 1992.
Kishida held various administrative roles before being appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2013, a position he excelled in for over four years. Rising within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), he eventually became its president and won the premiership amid a backdrop of public discontent with his predecessor's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Prime Minister, Kishida has focused on issues like pandemic response, economic inequality, military spending, and Japan's declining birth rate. Despite facing criticism related to economic challenges and political scandals, Kishida's leadership has been marked by stability, and he is recognized for his moderate-liberal policies aimed at fostering a more equitable society. He married Yuko Wada in 1988 and has three sons.
On this Page
Fumio Kishida
- Born: July 29, 1957
- Place of Birth: Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Background
Politician Fumio Kishida was born on July 29, 1957, in Tokyo, Japan. Both his father, Fumitake Kishida, and his grandfather, Masaki Kishida, were prominent politicians and former members of the House of Representatives. His father had also served as a government official in the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. Kishida was raised as part of this political legacy and was immersed in Japanese politics from a young age.
While his father was employed in the United States in the 1960s, Kishida attended a public elementary school in Queens, New York. He later recalled being both inspired by the United States and upset about having faced discrimination as an outsider. Upon returning to Japan, he graduated from Kōjimachi Elementary School and Kōjimachi Junior High School. He then went on to attend Kaisei Academy, a private preparatory school in Tokyo, balancing his studies with participation on the school’s baseball team.
Kishida initially sought attendance at the University of Tokyo. However, after his application was rejected, he decided to attend Waseda University, where he studied law.
Life’s Work
After graduating from Waseda in 1982, Kishida found work at the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan. However, his family’s ties to politics soon drew him in that direction. In 1987, he became an assistant and secretary for his father, who was serving as a legislator at that time. This experience helped him gain valuable government experience and hone his own skills to play a larger role. The senior Kishida died in 1992, vacating a seat in the House of Representatives. Kishida moved quickly into the electoral process to vie for that seat.
In 1993, Kishida followed in his family’s footsteps by earning a place in the House of Representatives during the general election. Representing the Hiroshima First District, which had previously been held by his father, he continued to serve the people of Hiroshima for more than a decade. While in parliament, called the National Diet, he took on numerous other administrative positions throughout the 2000s. Among these were overseeing consumer policies, Japan’s space programs and policies, other scientific and technological affairs, and regional matters in Okinawa and beyond.
In 2011, Kishida assumed a committee role in the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP). The following year, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appointed him minister for foreign affairs. In this capacity, he helped to coordinate visits by important diplomats, including US President Barack Obama and the foreign ministers of the G7 group. After retaining the position for four years and seven months, Kishida had held this role for the greatest length of time of any Japanese foreign minister since the mid-1940s.
In 2017, Abe promoted Kishida to the level of political chairperson of the LDP. This was a significant upward move for Kishida, signaling that he was likely on the cusp of top-level national influence. Within three years, he made moves to become president of the LDP, but his opponent, Yoshihide Suga, secured the spot himself and claimed the office of prime minister in 2020.
In 2021, with Suga occupied with the higher office, Kishida made another attempt to become head of the LDP. He took a strong campaign position based largely on a stricter plan to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic that was continuing to spread across the world at that point, as well as promises to work for international nuclear disarmament and greater economic equity among Japan's social classes. Even with his political pedigree and clear platform, Kishida struggled to gain a convincing lead, but he finally won the presidency of the LDP in September.
Meanwhile, Suga’s brief time as prime minister had met with widespread disapproval, with many believing he was not doing enough to handle COVID-19 and other pressing issues. At the same time, Kishida’s reputation was on the rise. With Suga having decided to resign from the prime ministry, the path was now clear for Kishida, who stepped into this highest role on October 4, 2021.
Kishida had become the one hundredth prime minister in Japanese history, but he did so at one of the most tumultuous times of the modern era. Japan was still reeling from the effects of COVID-19, which included many social and economic tensions. Kishida employed the same campaign promises he had made during his LDP rise, including taking tougher measures against the pandemic and ensuring that the country’s top socioeconomic levels would not monopolize its wealth.
The following year, Kishida made an unexpected turn toward greater military spending, first sending extensive aid funds to Ukraine, which had been invaded by Russia in early 2022, and then increasing spending on Japan’s own military. Kishida’s spending created the perception that Japan was not only promoting its own defense but also positioning itself as a more powerful force in Asia and the Pacific. In 2023, Kishida turned his attention toward Japan’s social structure, in particular its declining birth rate, and proposed measures intended to help Japanese families afford to have more children.
By 2024, criticism of the persistent weakness of Japan's economy and corruption scandals surrounding the LDP, along with other issues, had diminished Kishida's approval rating. In August of that year, he announced that he would not seek reelection, citing a need for a changed, fresh LDP.
Impact
Fumio Kishida has had a long career of public service, influencing Japan's society and its international relationships in a variety of ways. Known for his mostly moderate-liberal policies, including his desire to ensure that money is distributed more equally throughout Japan’s society, his election as prime minister represented a shift in political ideology for a party that had ruled for decades. Though his tenure in the highest office ultimately met with mixed reviews, he was recognized for his leadership stability, and he had still become one of the country's longest-serving prime ministers since the beginning of the twenty-first century.
Personal Life
Kishida married Yuko Wada in 1988. The couple had three children, all sons.
Bibliography
Bremmer, Ian. "Why Fumio Kishida's Future as Japan's Prime Minister Looks Uncertain." Time, 23 May 2024, time.com/6980945/6980945/. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
“Fumio Kishida.” Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet, japan.kantei.go.jp/96‗abe/meibo/daijin/kishida‗e.html. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
Harris, Toblas. “Fumio Kishida’s Principles Are About to Be Put to the Test.” Foreign Policy, 4 Oct. 2021, foreignpolicy.com/2021/10/04/fumio-kishida-new-japanese-prime-minister-ldp/. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
“Kishida Fumio.” Prime Minister’s Office of Japan, japan.kantei.go.jp/101‗kishida/meibo/daijin/kishida‗e.html. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
Kushida, Kenji. "Kishida's Legacy of Global Success, Domestic Distress." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 22 Aug. 2024, carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/08/kishidas-legacy-of-global-success-domestic-distress. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
“Prime Minister Kishida Fumio’s Personal Timeline.” Kizuna, The Government of Japan, 18 Nov. 2021, www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2021/11/prime‗minister‗kishida‗fumio.html. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
“Profiles of Key LDP Officials: Kishida Fumio.” Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, www.jimin.jp/english/profile/profiles/202306.html. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.
Sasagawa, Shohei. "Kishida to Step Down, Won't Run in LDP Election for President." The Asahi Shimbun, 14 Aug. 2024, www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15388293. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.