Shigeru Ishiba (born 4 February 1957) was Prime Minister of Japan from 1 October 2024, succeeding Fumio Kishida.
Biography[]
Shigeru Ishiba was born in Yazu, Tottori Prefecture, Japan on 4 February 1957, the son of Governor Jiro Ishiba. He was himself elected to the House of Representatives in 1986 as an LDP candidate, and he was known for his keen interest in military matters. He defected to the Japan Renewal Party from 1993 to 1994 and to the New Frontier Party from 1994 to 1996, and he rejoined the LDP in 1997. Ishiba was affiliated with the nationalist Nippon Kaigi organization, and he went on to serve as Director-General of the Japan Defense Agency from 2002 to 2004, as Minister of Defense from 2007 to 2008, as Agriculture Minister from 2008 to 2009, as Secretary-General of the LDP from 2012 to 2014, and as Aging Minister from 2014 to 2016. In 2024, the socially liberal Ishiba was elected LDP leader after Fumio Kishida stood down, becoming Prime Minister on 1 October.