In October 2021, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida relocated to the residence after assuming office, nine years after it remained vacant following a documented exorcism by Shinto priests and the closure of a connection with malevolent entities, when U.S. President George H.W. Bush fell ill during a banquet here in 1992, regurgitating onto the lap of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa before losing consciousness, causing the negative energy to spread across the Pacific.
Kishida, in an interview exclusively with TIME inside the red-carpeted residence, looks around at the expressionist wall patterns, which consist of at least one rather threatening concrete gargoyle, and states, “Former leaders have cautioned me about encountering spirits within this structure.” “However, I have been fortunate enough to not come across any ghosts,” he adds. “Naturally, being an aged building, I do occasionally hear sounds.”
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Kishida, with a military presence of equal magnitude, is focused on transforming the world’s third largest economy into a prominent global force. Supported by a White House that is eager to have influential partners to counter China’s increasing influence, he is working towards a major transformation of Japan’s foreign relations. This includes addressing historical tensions with South Korea, reinforcing security alliances with the United States and other countries, and significantly increasing defense expenditures. Within Japan, he has initiated a “new model of capitalism” that aims to expand the middle class through redistributive measures. Kishida’s attention is primarily directed towards practical matters.
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Kishida is unaffected by apparitions, however, that doesn’t mean the legislator doesn’t still represent his family’s origins from the southern city of Hiroshima in Japan. He lost several relatives in the atomic bomb dropped by the U.S. In 1945, and as a lawmaker, he still represents the beleaguered city of Hiroshima. His earliest memories include sitting on his grandmother’s knee and hearing horrifying local stories of suffering, vividly engraved in the minds of the city’s inhabitants who experienced unspeakable devastation caused by Hiroshima. “This childhood experience,” he says, “has greatly influenced my pursuit of a world without nuclear weapons.”
Learn More: Following the Explosion: Survivors of the Atomic Blasts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki Share Their Narratives.
Chinese aircraft and naval vessels regularly intrude into Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone waters, which prompted the launch of military drills by Beijing last summer. Even more worrisome for Japan is China’s aggression against the self-ruling island of Taiwan, a stance that President Xi Jinping has repeatedly vowed to pursue. Japan remains entangled in territorial disputes with North Korea and Russia, and the recent war in Ukraine has alerted Tokyo to the possibility of a world that is more perilous than ever before, with the city of Kyiv being 5,000 miles away. In order to confront the increasingly belligerent threats from North Korea and China, the powerful democracies of the world can only rely on collective resolve. Hiroshima welcomes the leaders of the G7 from May 19th to May 21st, and Prime Minister Kishida hopes to leverage the tragic history of the city to convince them of the need for a united front.
Kishida, who joined the U.S., Has led with enthusiasm in imposing international sanctions, unlike the hesitant previous Japanese leaders. Japan, the world’s third-largest defense budget, would raise its defense spending commitment to 2% of GDP by 2027. Japan, like Germany and other European countries, has been humbled by war and has mirrored defense spending increases across Europe, particularly since the unveiling of Japan’s biggest military buildup since World War II in December, against the backdrop of Kishida’s leadership.
Learn More: Chancellor Olaf Scholz Desires to Change Germany’s Position in the World. He’d Simply Prefer Not to Discuss It.
Significant resistance against implementing security measures has allowed Kishida, known for his dovish stance, to assume a persona, while former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who belonged to the right-leaning Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was known for his divisive and hawkish reputation. However, in July, during a campaign stop, he was assassinated, which highlighted the long-promoted transformation of Japan.
The Prime Minister, on his part, suggests that Ukraine today has the potential to become East Asia in the future. Some argue that Japan’s rearmament contradicts Kishida’s longstanding commitment to promoting a world free of nuclear weapons. Furthermore, considering that China is Japan’s primary trading partner, it remains unclear how Kishida can finance an ambitious domestic agenda while simultaneously exerting pressure on America’s powerful competitor, which has shown a willingness to retaliate economically. The country possesses a constitution that advocates for pacifism, and critics argue that its military expansion only adds fuel to an already volatile regional security situation. Nevertheless, Japan’s renewed focus on its martial capabilities is not without its share of controversy.
Developments and events of various kinds could occur when he is asked about the incident, he shrugs. During a speech campaign, a homemade pipe bomb was hurled at him, injuring a policeman, narrowly avoiding the Prime Minister’s residence. Kishida’s tenure has already encountered a drama that contradicts his reputation as a bland functionary.
18 months ago, when he assumed office, he was considered to be a reliable yet unremarkable politician, free from any scandal but lacking significant achievements. His father and grandfather were both lawmakers, and during his childhood in the U.S., He attended a public school in Queens. The classes were filled with children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, making communication “very challenging,” as stated by Kishida. He reflects on this experience, saying, “It reminded me of the importance of attentively listening to the perspectives of others.” He adds, “As a child, I was inspired by the qualities that define the United States, such as the respect for freedom and the abundance of energy.”
Kishida, who entered politics in 1993 after failing his law school entrance exam three times, was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2012, serving in that position for five years. He rose to various cabinet posts and built a reputation as a consensus builder, deliberating with various factions in coordinating policy backrooms. Kishida is known to value advice and does not waver once he makes up his mind.
With a smile, he states, “Once the [legislative] meeting concludes, if there is any spare time, I anticipate being able to engage in a round of golf.” Assistants claim he has hardly had any personal time. The day after his interview with TIME in the grand Great Hall of his official residence, he embarked on a tour of Africa, covering four nations. Kishida has undertaken an astonishing 16 international journeys since assuming office. As the Prime Minister, he has demonstrated himself to be an exceptionally diligent worker.
In local elections held in April, Kishida, the leader of the LDP, won key seats and his approval rating has picked up. In response to a TIME interview where Kishida stated his commitment to realizing a society that respects diversity, he dismissed a close aide who said that he would abandon this principle if same-sex marriage were legalized, despite the fact that only a few people would oppose it. Kishida, who fired four cabinet ministers over a variety of scandals in the past two months, has been a polarizing figure since late last year, and his approval ratings have plummeted due to the backlash following his decision to hold a state funeral at the expense of both Abe and the country. However, it has not been smooth sailing for Kishida on the domestic front.
Learn More: What the LGBTQ+ Movement in Asia Can Take Away from Japan.
According to Jeff Kingston, director of Asian studies at Tokyo’s Temple University, “However, he has demonstrated to be rather successful in regards to advancing his agenda. Nevertheless, he may not be a captivating leader.”
The Shin-Tōmei Expressway, which serves as a crucial transportation route, has recently received approval for the construction of Japan’s first casino and a dedicated lane for autonomous driving. This project is part of Kishida’s efforts to revitalize Japan. In the late 1980s, Japanese people earned more than Americans on average, but currently, their earnings are 40% lower. Additionally, Japan faces challenges such as a rapidly aging population, stagnant economic growth, and one of the lowest birth rates in the world. However, Japan also prides itself on its smooth political transitions, low unemployment rate, low crime rate, long life expectancy, and highly educated population. This undertaking is indeed ambitious.
Mr. Kishida has to be cautious in order to maintain the support of right-wing key players. His domestic agenda is centered around a vague “income-doubling plan” aimed at increasing household earnings. However, his main challenge lies in finding a way to fund redistribution without alienating the wealthy. Japan’s public debt to GDP ratio is currently at 256%, which is approximately double that of the United States. This leaves Kishida with limited flexibility to continue borrowing. The stock market in Japan experienced a significant decline when Kishida suggested the idea of raising taxes on stock transfers and dividends. Mieko Nakabayashi, a professor at Waseda University in Tokyo and a former Japanese lawmaker, emphasizes the importance of Kishida’s careful approach in maintaining support from the right-wing.
Japan’s premier company with a female leader, Chief Executive Officer of Suntory Beverages & Food, Makiko Ono, asserts, “I believe it has not explicitly articulated the specific measures it will implement to attain the objective.” However, despite Kishida’s administration outlining objectives to attain a 30% representation of female executives in major corporations by 2030, Japan occupies the 116th position out of 146 nations—the lowest ranking among developed economies—in the World Economic Forum’s 2022 report on gender equality. Kishida also aims to increase the number of women and older individuals in lucrative job opportunities.
Learn More: Makiko Ono Has a Strategy to Increase Female Representation in Executive Positions.
The hanko–a renowned engraved seal that is mandatory for numerous official papers, faxes, storage devices, and 9,000 government regulations that still necessitate processing through outdated technology, have been unearthed by Digital Minister Taro Kono, who informs TIME that Japan’s Digital Agency has been tasked by Kishida to reduce bureaucratic procedures and enhance effectiveness, ultimately resulting in Japan’s productivity being more than 30% lower compared to the U.S.
According to Kishida, the key is the survival of a concept. In the past, no other country has experienced population aging and shrinking to the extent that Japan has. Therefore, it is crucial for all developed societies to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Kono, an official whose agency is responsible for serving Japan’s population of 125 million, is complaining about being “desperately understaffed.” However, he only has 800 officials to fulfill this monumental challenge.
Nakabayashi suggests seeking a fresh mandate and dissolving parliament in order to take advantage of any increase in domestic approval. He also mentions that using the bounce in domestic approval as a platform to dissolve parliament is a possibility. Kishida’s opportunity to propel Japan to true global leadership is not only significant, but it also represents the realization of his “lifelong dream,” according to close aides to Kishida. Japan has always placed great importance on the economic grouping, as it is the only Asian member of the U.N. Security Council. However, it was denied a seat on the council. In Hiroshima, the G7 summit is highly anticipated, with countdown clocks displayed in the main railway station and posters promoting the summit adorning billboards and vending machines throughout the city. The G7 summit in Hiroshima presents a unique kind of existential threat that will capture the attention of the world.
Kingston states, “Considering the uncertain circumstances in the global structure, particularly involving Ukraine and Taiwan, it is crucial for the G7 to take action or else face losing significance.” The consequences are significant. Additionally, he extended invitations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol to participate as observers. In January, Kishida conducted brief visits to member countries Britain, France, Italy, Canada, and the U.S. To garner support for his plans.
The bomb detonated at a temperature of just over 7,700 degrees Celsius, a mile away. She caught a glimpse of a bluish-white flash through the window of the wooden building that served as the military headquarters in what is now the suburb of Higashi Hiroshima. She was recruited at the age of 13 to help decipher intercepted Allied communications as part of Japan’s efforts in World War II. Setsuko Thurlow vividly remembers August 6, 1945. Not everyone agrees with the combative posture of the G7.
“They appeared as apparitions,” recollects Thurlow, 91, who received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 on behalf of the International Campaign to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons, after she emerged from beneath the burnt wood. “I began witnessing mobile forms resembling individuals, yet not truly human beings,” she expresses. “I experienced the feeling of ascending and drifting in the atmosphere.”
Read More: A Blaze In the Atmosphere: A Schoolboy’s Eyewitness Report of Hiroshima.
Some claimed that the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima took the lives of 170,000 people. “I now realize that he was deceiving us, but Kishida said that working towards a nuclear-free world was his top priority,” she says. Kishida’s military posture makes Thurlow “alarmed” and suggests that Japan is becoming more aggressive.
Kishida informs TIME that the government will not engage in nuclear armament discussions, and he is dedicated to global denuclearization. Attendees of the G7 will undoubtedly have moving tours of Hiroshima’s Dome A-Bomb and Peace Museum. Today, there is no doubt that only a few buildings stand after the blast, and one of them is a twisted iron girder and broken brick rubble. It is surrounded by a neatly trimmed hedge of blooming azaleas.
He states, “came as a massive surprise to me,” which “came as a massive surprise to me,” the potential for nuclear war, Kishida connects Hiroshima and the devastated Ukrainian city of Bucha, which he traveled to in March, discussing “intense rage at the atrocity” in a departure from his characteristic calmness. He desires for the G7 to comprehend the genuine terror hiding behind Vladimir Putin’s recurring actions.
Learn More: She has dedicated ten years to advocating for the prohibition of nuclear weapons. The risks are continuously increasing.
Europe must not get caught up in crises that are not ours, Kishida says, wherever they may happen in the world, attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force cannot be allowed. He also highlights that the development in Ukraine against Russian aggression is not a far-fetched occurrence. When asked about Taiwan in April, French President Emmanuel Macron rebuts the sentiments of the world, stating that Taiwan is just Asia’s Ukraine and Europe must not be caught up in that.
Kishida asked about the diplomatic challenge of China when he admits that matters of grave concern are China’s present external position and military patterns, citing the need to build on the positive momentum forged by Xi during his summit in November.
According to Kono, who formerly held positions as Japan’s Foreign Minister and Defense Minister, “China poses the most significant danger.” Instead of Russia or North Korea, some members of his administration express a more audacious viewpoint. “We must ready ourselves for their military maneuvers as well as their economic pressures on Taiwan or other nations.”
President Biden will exert pressure on Kishida to support not only defense affairs but also increased military collaboration with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia, in order to hinder the transfer of technology to China. This stance is supported by Washington in recent months.
The worldviews of a clash will be the focus on keeping Hiroshima’s mission up, promising to heat up Kishida’s mission at the remains of the charred city and paper cranes. The media has dubbed it “Xivilization,” a clash of ghostly promises that let the ghosts say. Meanwhile, Beijing has set about courting the Global South, with the nation’s state media establishing a new international forum for relations.