97 Facts About Shigeru Ishiba

Shigeru Ishiba is a Japanese politician serving as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party since 2024.

Shigeru Ishiba has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1986 and served as Minister of Defense from 2007 to 2008 and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 2008 to 2009, as well as secretary-general of the LDP from 2012 to 2014.

Shigeru Ishiba was elected to the House of Representatives in the 1986 general election as a member of the LDP at the age of 29.

Shigeru Ishiba served as parliamentary vice minister of agriculture under the premiership of Kiichi Miyazawa but left the LDP in 1993 to join the Japan Renewal Party.

Shigeru Ishiba became a key figure within the LDP, running for party leadership multiple times.

Shigeru Ishiba declined to run and endorsed Taro Kono in the 2021 election which was won by Fumio Kishida.

On foreign policy, Shigeru Ishiba has moved Japan economically closer to China and South Korea amidst protectionist policies being employed by the United States, while continuing to support Ukraine as during the Russian invasion that began in 2022.

Shigeru Ishiba has developed a reputation as a political maverick due to his willingness to criticize his own party, as well as his relatively liberal stances on social issues; he supported a motion of no-confidence against the Miyazawa Cabinet in 1993 and criticized Abe throughout his second premiership, despite serving in the governments of both prime ministers.

Shigeru Ishiba was born on 4 February 1957, in Chiyoda, Tokyo, while his registered domicile was his father's hometown in the Yazu District of Tottori Prefecture.

Shigeru Ishiba's father Jiro Ishiba was a government official then serving as Vice Minister of Construction.

Shigeru Ishiba's mother was a teacher and a granddaughter of the Christian minister Kanamori Michitomo.

Jiro Shigeru Ishiba was elected Governor of Tottori Prefecture in 1958, so the family moved to Tottori; Shigeru Ishiba has no memory of living in Tokyo.

Jiro Shigeru Ishiba would serve as governor until 1974, and was later elected to the House of Councillors and served as Minister for Home Affairs in the Zenko Suzuki Cabinet.

Shigeru Ishiba grew up and attended school in Tottori Prefecture.

Tanaka encouraged Shigeru Ishiba to become a politician to carry on his father's legacy.

Shigeru Ishiba left the bank in 1983 and began working in the secretariat of the Thursday Club, Kakuei Tanaka's faction of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Shigeru Ishiba served as parliamentary vice minister of agriculture under the Miyazawa Cabinet, before defecting from the LDP in 1993, for the Japan Renewal Party.

Shigeru Ishiba was reappointed parliamentary vice minister of Agriculture under the Mori Cabinet in July 2000 but was switched to the position of deputy director general of the Defense Agency in December.

Shigeru Ishiba was replaced when the Koizumi Cabinet was appointed.

When Koizumi reshuffled the cabinet in September 2002, Shigeru Ishiba became Director General of the Defense Agency, entering the cabinet for the first time.

Shigeru Ishiba served as director general during the 2003 invasion of Iraq by an American-led coalition.

Shigeru Ishiba defended the legality of the invasion and paved the way for the first overseas deployment of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces without UN mandate, sending troops to Iraq in January 2004 to assist with reconstruction efforts.

Shigeru Ishiba was appointed as the Minister of Defense in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on 26 September 2007, serving in that post until 1 August 2008.

Shigeru Ishiba was the second person in the cabinet of Fukuda to express belief in the existence of UFOs after Nobutaka Machimura.

Shigeru Ishiba called for Aso to resign after the LDP's defeat in the 2009 Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election.

Shigeru Ishiba retained his seat in the 2009 House of Representatives election, otherwise a crushing defeat for the LDP.

Shigeru Ishiba was thus one of the most prominent LDP figures when the party was in opposition.

Shigeru Ishiba was removed when Tanigaki reshuffled the party leadership in September 2011.

In September 2012, while the LDP was still in opposition, Shigeru Ishiba again stood for the presidency of the LDP and was narrowly defeated by former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

Shigeru Ishiba accepted the position of secretary-general on 27 September 2012.

Shigeru Ishiba was re-appointed to the position under Abe's second premiership after the December 2012 general election in which the LDP returned to government.

Shigeru Ishiba attracted considerable criticism for his statement in November 2013 that likened peaceful public protests against the new secrecy bill being introduced by his government to "acts of terrorism".

Shigeru Ishiba was reported to have declined the offer of a cabinet post responsible for the government's upcoming security legislation.

In spite of having been a vocal critic of factionalism in the LDP, Shigeru Ishiba launched his own faction, the Suigetsukai, on 28 September 2015, with the aim of succeeding sitting prime minister, Shinzo Abe.

Shigeru Ishiba left cabinet in the April 2016 reshuffle, having declined the ministry of Agriculture.

Shigeru Ishiba challenged Abe in the 2018 LDP presidential election but was defeated again.

In 2020, following Shinzo Abe's second resignation, Shigeru Ishiba ran for the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party, losing to Yoshihide Suga, placing third overall.

Shigeru Ishiba declined to run in the 2021 Liberal Democratic Party leadership election, instead endorsing Taro Kono.

Shigeru Ishiba's victory was described by commentators as unexpected and an upset, owing to his long history of failed leadership bids and his relative unpopularity with many LDP members of the National Diet.

Shigeru Ishiba appointed former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vice president of the party, while the outgoing Vice President Taro Aso was made chief advisor, and Hiroshi Moriyama became secretary general.

On 30 September, Shigeru Ishiba announced his plans to dissolve the House of Representatives on 9 October and called for snap general election to be held on 27 October 2024.

Shigeru Ishiba was elected by the National Diet and appointed as Prime Minister by Emperor Naruhito at Tokyo Imperial Palace on 1 October 2024, becoming the twenty-fifth Liberal Democratic Prime Minister.

Shigeru Ishiba announced key appointments ahead of the snap general election on 27 October 2024.

Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet included rivals from the leadership race, though Sanae Takaichi's exclusion created internal party friction.

Shigeru Ishiba pledged to continue efforts to ensure the emergence of the Japanese economy from deflation and called for stabilization in the membership of the Imperial House of Japan amid a lack of male successors to the throne.

Shigeru Ishiba indicated that the party would resume support for the politicians if they win reelection.

In February 2025, Shigeru Ishiba worked with the opposition Japan Innovation Party to pass the 2025 fiscal year budget.

Shigeru Ishiba's government announced in January 2025 that same-sex partners will be subject to the same regulations as common-law marriages in 24 laws, including one that stipulates benefits to be paid to the families of crime victims.

Shigeru Ishiba has remained hesitant about introducing same-sex marriage legislation.

Shigeru Ishiba was elected as Prime Minister during the closing months of Joe Biden's presidency in the United States, meeting with him at the APEC summit in Peru in November 2024, alongside South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Unlike his late former rival Shinzo Abe, Shigeru Ishiba was not able to meet with Trump during his transition period.

Shigeru Ishiba sought the advice of Abe's widow, Akie Abe, along with former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida before the meeting.

Trump and Shigeru Ishiba agreed pursue a "new golden age" for US-Japan relations.

Shigeru Ishiba said that the traffis were "difficult to understand" given Japan's economic investment in the United States and it's status as of America's largest trading partners.

In November 2024, Shigeru Ishiba urged American President Joe Biden to approve Nippon-US Steel deal, which he ultimately blocked.

In January 2025, Shigeru Ishiba's government announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be easing visa requirements for Chinese tourists.

Shigeru Ishiba faced criticism from the CDP for his response to the tariffs.

In February 2025, Shigeru Ishiba said that the government would consider offering medical care for sick and wounded residents of the Gaza strip, amidst Israel's war with Hamas that has been ongoing since October 2023.

Shigeru Ishiba said that educational opportunities could be offered to people from Gaza.

Similar to his predecessor Fumio Kishida, Shigeru Ishiba has maintained support for Ukraine during the Russian invasion that began in 2022.

Shigeru Ishiba claimed the certificates were paid from his personal funds and were not intended for political activities but as a supplement for living expenses.

Shigeru Ishiba had met with Komeito Chief Representative Tetsuo Saito the day before, who pledged his party's support for him; earlier in the week upper house LDP lawmaker Shoji Nishida publicly stated that Shigeru Ishiba should be replaced by a new party President.

Shigeru Ishiba, who was elected as LDP President on a reformist platform, was widely criticized by opposition lawmakers.

Shigeru Ishiba has been criticized for several gaffes while in office.

Shigeru Ishiba has been described as a centrist, a moderate conservative, and a reformist, particularly during the 2024 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election.

Shigeru Ishiba has expressed support for introducing a selective dual surname system, which would allow married couples the option to retain their respective surnames.

Shigeru Ishiba has stated that this change should be subject to further discussion within the LDP to reach a consensus.

Shigeru Ishiba's comment was criticized as being inappropriate and showing a lack of awareness for autistic people.

On election night, Shigeru Ishiba called on the LDP to propose a supplementary budget for the 2024 fiscal year, aimed at financing a stimulus package to help rural areas cope with rising costs.

Shigeru Ishiba intends to maintain the economic policies under Kishida's premiership to steer Japan out of years of deflation.

Shigeru Ishiba has called for a more "fair" tax system and seeks to increase taxes such as the capital gains tax.

Shigeru Ishiba believes the economy can only improve if consumption increases and stated his commitment to raising the minimum wage to 1,500 yen per hour by the end of the decade.

Shigeru Ishiba argued that the war transformed the global security environment and with the absence of such a collective self-defense system in Asia, wars are more likely to break out in the region as there is no obligation for mutual defense.

Shigeru Ishiba therefore stated that an Asian collective security alliance is necessary in order to deter China.

In September 2024, Shigeru Ishiba claimed that the "relative decline of US might" necessitates an Asian version of NATO to counter security threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.

Shigeru Ishiba said Japan should use the Special Relationship between the US, UK and France as a model for creating an alliance with the US as equal partners.

Shigeru Ishiba suggested that Japan Self-Defense Forces could be placed in Guam to strengthen the deterrence capabilities of the Japan-US alliance.

Shigeru Ishiba said that he would find the chance to raise the issue with Biden in the future.

However, in October 2024, Shigeru Ishiba sent a ritual offering to Yasukuni Shrine, which drew criticism from South Korea.

Shigeru Ishiba further stated that the Tokyo Trials did not condemn everything in pre-war Japan as wrong, and that those who argue the Trials were invalid due to the retroactively applying law argue that there were no mistakes in pre-war Japan at all.

Shigeru Ishiba argued there was both wrong and right in the pre-war era.

Shigeru Ishiba has said that it is particularly inappropriate for a prime minister to visit the Yasukuni Shrine due to concerns from China and South Korea.

Shigeru Ishiba has criticized visits by politicians as not essential to creating an environment where laws can be passed.

Shigeru Ishiba has not visited the shrine since he gained his first cabinet post in 2002.

Shigeru Ishiba is an advocate of separating Class A war criminals from the shrine.

Shigeru Ishiba has defended the Murayama Statement, commenting after Sanae Takaichi said she felt uncomfortable with the statement in 2013 that he would like the party to "refrain from making misleading statements".

Shigeru Ishiba is known as a gunji otaku and has a keen interest in military matters.

Shigeru Ishiba is known for having a lot of expertise related to weapons systems, legal issues about defense, and is fond of building and painting models of aircraft and ships.

Shigeru Ishiba has repeatedly stated that he believes that Japan needs its own equivalent of the United States Marine Corps to be able to defend its many small islands.

In 2011, Shigeru Ishiba backed the idea of Japan maintaining the capability of building nuclear weapons.

Shigeru Ishiba met his wife Yoshiko Nakamura when they were both students at Keio University.

Shigeru Ishiba was baptised at the age of 18 in the Tottori Church of the United Church of Christ in Japan.

Shigeru Ishiba is known as an "otaku" with a very high interest in the military, vehicles, and trains, and keeps a large collection of military-related plastic models, some of which are displayed at his office in the Diet.

Shigeru Ishiba is a fan of the 1970s idol group Candies, is known to ride on sleeper trains to Tottori Prefecture as part of his interest in railways, and regards novelists Soseki Natsume and Ogai Mori as two of his favorite authors.

Shigeru Ishiba is known as an avid reader, wherein he is noted to read three books daily, and stated that he "prefers reading more than mingle with his party collegues".

Shigeru Ishiba is the head of an intraparty ramen society that was established to promote the dish.

Shigeru Ishiba made headlines when he allowed a Japan Self-Defense Forces vehicle to be displayed at the Shizuoka Hobby Show, a trade fair for plastic and radio-controlled models.