Japan's New PM Ishiba's Bold First Speech: Restoring Trust and Tackling Inflation 📢
Shigeru Ishiba, Japan's freshly elected prime minister, took the stage for his first policy speech on Friday, and wow, what a kickoff! 🎤 Promising to win back public trust after a series of political scandals and to ease the pinch of rising living costs, Ishiba is all about making changes that matter.
At the outset, Ishiba didn't shy away from tough topics. He expressed \"deep regret\" over a high-profile slush funds scandal that left the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a not-so-great light. I will restore confidence in politics lost over the issue of political funds and will explain to the people more clearly than ever the situation in which Japan finds itself,
he declared. It's the responsibility of politics to rebuild a safe, secure, and prosperous Japan by gaining the understanding and empathy of the people.
On the economic front, Ishiba is gearing up to help households hit hard by inflation. With the yen's depreciation causing import costs to soar 📈, he promised swift action to support those feeling the squeeze. It's necessary that we provide support to those reeling from rising prices until a virtuous cycle of growth and redistribution is certainly in motion, where pay hikes outpace inflation and companies invest proactively,
Ishiba said.
In a move to boost earnings, the 67-year-old former defense minister aims to raise the average minimum hourly wage to 1,500 yen (about $10) across the nation by the end of the 2020s 💰—that’s ahead of the previous government's schedule! Currently, the wage stands at 1,055 yen.
Energy-wise, Ishiba plans to ensure the safety of nuclear reactors and craft the best energy mix to meet growing demand. This marks a shift from his stance last month when he pushed for reducing reliance on nuclear power to zero in favor of renewables. 🌱
When it comes to foreign relations, the prime minister is all about building bridges. He expressed a desire for constructive and stable
ties with China through dialogue 🤝, and aims to make bilateral ties with South Korea more robust and wide-ranging.
Looking ahead, sessions where representatives from ruling and opposition parties will question Ishiba's policies are set for October 7 and 8. Plus, mark your calendars 📅—Ishiba plans to dissolve the Lower House on October 9 for a snap election on October 27.
Reference(s):
Japan's new PM Ishiba delivers first policy speech since taking office
cgtn.com
