Japan’s biggest revolving door is spinning again, and odds are it’s about to spit out Shinjiro Koizumi as the nation’s next prime minister.
It’s not that a critical mass of Japan’s 125 million people seem enthusiastic about the 44-year-old son of 2001–2006 leader Junichiro Koizumi taking a turn running Asia’s No 2 economy. It’s more that the politically moderate, generally inoffensive scion of a family dynasty looks like the least worst option to replace Shigeru Ishiba.
Luckily for Koizumi, he steps into some rather small shoes. One has to get extremely creative to argue that Ishiba achieved much during his 11-plus months in the premiership.
Ishiba spent most of his time explaining his latest U-turn from previously held policy positions. He never found his groove with voters, something painfully clear following the Liberal Democratic Party’s disastrous showing in July 20 elections.
