Key Facts
• September 10: Mizuho Fukushima encouraged PM Ishiba to act boldly in his final month.
• Fukushima proposed issuing a “Postwar 80-Year Statement” to leave a historical legacy.
• August 15: Ishiba abandoned plans for the statement due to internal party resistance.
• September 2: Ishiba considered releasing a “viewpoint” but ultimately decided against it.
• Fukushima praised Ishiba’s speeches at Hiroshima and Nagasaki ceremonies for their originality.
• She highlighted Ishiba’s past support for selective surnames and revising the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.
• September 22: LDP leadership election campaign begins; October 4: voting day.
• Ishiba’s cabinet is set to resign in about one month.
• Fukushima criticized internal LDP bullying and urged Ishiba to leave a lasting impact.
Summary
Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the Social Democratic Party, urged Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to take bold actions during his final month in office. At a press conference on September 10, she proposed issuing a “Postwar 80-Year Statement” to cement his legacy, despite Ishiba previously abandoning the plan due to resistance from conservative factions within the Liberal Democratic Party. Fukushima praised Ishiba’s originality in speeches at Hiroshima and Nagasaki ceremonies and encouraged him to revisit progressive policies he once supported, such as selective surnames and revising the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement. With the LDP leadership election set for September 22 and voting on October 4, Ishiba’s cabinet will resign in about a month. Fukushima criticized internal party bullying and called on Ishiba to make a meaningful mark before stepping down.
