Who Will Be Japan's Next Prime Minister? Here Are The Top 4 Contenders

After longest-serving Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on Wednesday his plans to step down over health issues, public attention has shifted to who will succeed him as the country’s leader. While he has struggled to break grounds for aggressive economic reforms, his resignation has sent shockwaves through Japan’s political landscape.

Here are the four most popular choice among the public to replace Shinzo Abe as the next prime minister:

Taro Aso

79-year-old Taro Aso served as prime minister from 2008 to 2009 and has been Japan’s deputy prime minister and finance minister since 2012. His years of political career has been riddled with controversy but he has managed to withstand the uproars, even leading a major faction in the LDP.

Aso is also a close ally of Abe and received massive acclaim in 2008 when he introduced a massive stimulus program to help his countrymen during the 2008 global financial crisis. In recent years, he has focused on helping reduce Japan’s mounting debt.

Shigeru Ishiba

The most popular among the potential contenders, Shigeru Ishiba has a strong military background. The 63-year-old former defense minister entered the parliament at age 29 and has since them served in various cabinet positions. His role in Japan’s Self-Defense Forces makes him a popular choice among the public to be the next prime minister, although the ruling party lawmakers are not in his favor. This explains why he was heavily lost when he challenged Abe in the LDP’s leadership in 2018.

Yoshihide Suga

A self-made lawmaker, 71-year-old Yoshihide Suga rose to national fame when Abe appointed him as chief cabinet secretary in 2012. Prior to that, he served as a municipal assembly member in Yokohama and won a seat in the lower house in 1996. Considered by many as the face of the government, he has been a trusted adviser to Abe and a key proponent of his bid for premiership following his terrible first term.

Fumio Kishida

Fumio Kishida is one of the most favored potential successors of Abe and is currently the policy chief of the ruling party. One of his most notable accomplishments was his successful invitation to former U.S. President Barack Obama to visit Hiroshima to commemorate the world’s first atomic bomb explosion. In 2015, he helped cement a deal between Japan and South Korea, putting an end to the decades of dispute between the two countries. Despite his credentials, however, many believe that his perceived lack of charisma may be an obstacle in his bid to replace Abe.

Taro Kono

The son of political dove Yohei Kono, 57-year-old Taro Kono is a political reformer who served as foreign minister between 2017 and 2019. A top Japanese diplomat, he is currently a defense minister who is close to both Aso and Suga despite his independent image. He oversaw the unresolved wartime disputes between Japan and South Korea and has been vocal about his opposition to nuclear power.