THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Jun 1, 2025  |  
0
 | Remer,MN
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge.
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge and Reasoning Support for Fantasy Sports and Betting Enthusiasts.
back  
topic
NYTimes
New York Times
15 Aug 2024
Hisako Ueno


NextImg:Who’s Up Next in Japan? Here Are 5 Potential Leaders.

When Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced plans to step down on Wednesday, he vowed that his departure would clear the way for a new leader who could bring change to Japan’s long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

The party has managed to keep a stranglehold on power despite deep public dissatisfaction over political scandals and economic stagnation — and despite repeatedly steering away from candidates popular with the public.

Here are five politicians likely to figure in the party’s deliberations over whom to promote to prime minister next month.

Taro Kono

Image
Taro Kono, Japan’s minister for digital transformation, at the Prime Minister’s office in Tokyo last year.Credit...Issei Kato/Reuters

Mr. Kono, 61, is a popular and somewhat unconventional figure who could significantly shake up Japan’s governing party.

Mr. Kono, a graduate of Georgetown University, is Japan’s digital minister. He came within a hair’s breadth of becoming prime minister in 2021, narrowly losing a runoff vote to Mr. Kishida despite a surge of public support for his more progressive stance on issues like legalizing same-sex marriage.


Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.


Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.