Policy Achievements Halfway

Announcement of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s standing down brought skepticisms on continuation of main policies upheld by his administration. While Kishida promoted issues in diplomacy, security, economy and domestic affairs these three years, those can be deadlocked in half way. It is unclear Kishida’s policies will be succeeded by next prime minister elected in the presidential election next month.

“Based on firm alliance between Japan and the United States, I led international discussion for cooperation in the world facing divisions and promoted diversified diplomacy, achieving major outcomes,” said Kishida in his press conference. Diplomacy is the issue Kishida has been most focused on, based on his experience of Minister for Foreign Affairs for five years.

 

The culmination of Kishida’s diplomacy was taking chairmanship in G7 Summit in Hiroshima in 2023. As a lawmaker elected from Hiroshima, Kishida insisted on his agenda of making the world without nuclear weapons. However, he could not get rid of the situation that Japan is standing under the nuclear umbrella of the U.S. Both countries launched a discussion for “extended deterrence,” which endorses security policies relying on nuclear deterrence.

 

Kishida’s security policies are mainly leaning not on peace but rather confrontation. Turning down Japan’s traditional defense principle of strictly defensive security policy, Kishida administration decided to introduce the capability of striking enemy’s base, which the government named counterstriking capability. Kishida boasted that he could achieve a hawkish policy even Shinzo Abe could not do.

 

In the wake of Russia’s invasion to Ukraine, Kishida took position against Russia, naming it an aggressor. He did not hesitate risking bilateral negotiation with Russia over the Northern Territory or economic cooperation. While the stance taken by Kishida was praised by the Western countries, he could not use Japan’s unique position as a peace-loving country to put the battle between Russia and Ukraine to an end. Nuclear intimidation by Russia continued.

 

On economic policies, it is unclear what did Kishida achieve. At the beginning of his tenure, Kishida upheld a shift from growth to distribution, which was immediately dismissed with frustration of stock market. Although he urged the managers to raise wages, and achieved 5% wage hike this spring, the situation in which price inflation offset it has not disappeared. His original policy called New Capitalism or Digital Garden City Initiative has not shown its real shape.

 

Overcoming low birth rate is one of the greatest requirements posed on Kishida administration. While Kishida upheld “different-dimensioned” birth rate policy, it was too focused on helping families with kids to encourage young people to be marriaged. It will be facing historical judgement whether Kishida administration has been going toward right direction.

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