Japan PM Kishida promotes son as aide, spurring succession talk

Prime Minister Kishida himself hails from a long line of lawmakers in Hiroshima. His predecessor Yoshihide Suga, the son of a strawberry farmer, was the only leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the last two decades who didn’t come from a political family.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida appointed his oldest son as a senior aide, sparking media speculation that the 31-year-old was being groomed to eventually succeed his father in politics.

Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida, left, with his oldest son Shotaro, center, and wife Yuko. (Kyodo News via Bloomberg.com)

Shotaro, the first of Kishida’s three sons, was named executive secretary to the prime minister, government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said Tuesday. The appointment places Shotaro, already a member of Kishida’s staff, within a small group that follows the premier almost everywhere, including overseas trips to meet world leaders, and is involved in behind-the-scenes political negotiations.

While placing family members in influential government positions isn’t rare, even among democracies, hereditary politics is particularly entrenched in Japan. Prime Minister Kishida himself hails from a long line of lawmakers in Hiroshima. His predecessor Yoshihide Suga, the son of a strawberry farmer, was the only leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in the last two decades who didn’t come from a political family.

Public broadcaster NHK said the older Kishida was likely preparing his son for eventual succession by exposing him to high-level policymaking.

The appointment could prompt criticism at a time when Kishida’s approval ratings have already been falling due to rising living costs and distrust over the LDP’s ties with the Unification Church, which has a long list of court judgments against it in Japan over its fundraising methods. Matsuno, asked about the move during his regular news briefing, defended it as appropriate.

“Appointments are about putting the appropriate person in the appropriate role based on character and expertise, and I believe this one is no different,” he said at the regular press briefing.

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Before joining Kishida’s personal office, Shotaro worked at a major trading house, according to NHK. He becomes one of eight executive secretaries, including six career bureaucrats, working for Kishida.

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