Kishida’s Government Relies on “Big-name Diet Members” in Crisis over Failed State Funeral

Two months have passed since former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed. Apart from mourning his inexcusable death, questions have been raised about Abe’s “state funeral. This is the first major “headwind” for the Fumio Kishida administration.

Some media outlets have written that Mr. Aso initiated the idea of a state funeral, but that is not the case. The moment I heard that former Prime Minister Abe had passed away, I decided that it would be a state funeral. It was … ill-advised.”

Prime Minister Kishida told his fellow Diet members and newspaper reporters in no uncertain terms.

Reason for State Funeral” Explained in Diet

Prime Minister Kishida finally explained the reason for his decision to hold a state funeral at the Diet’s Diet Steering Committee and Closed Session Review on August 8.

He had been in power for the longest period in the 133-year history of the constitutional government, and had made great achievements in the development of diplomacy. Since condolences from abroad were extended to the Japanese people as well, the Cabinet decided to hold a state funeral based on the judgment that the nation should respond in a civilized manner.

When asked about the legal basis for this decision, he replied.

“There is no standard law for state funerals, so the Cabinet decided on this under the Act for Establishment of the Cabinet Office,” he replied.

He replied, “There is no standard law for state funerals. Regarding the relationship between the Unification Church and former Prime Minister Abe, which has become a major issue, he said

“Now that he is dead, there is a limit to fully grasping the actual situation,” he said.

We must carefully explain the situation to them, and we will conduct individual inspections and fulfill our accountability.

We have to carefully explain the situation, and we will inspect and fulfill our accountability on an individual basis. The opposition parties were naturally furious. Public opinion is also heating up.

Yasunori Michimi, a member of the LDP’s Hokkaido assembly, tweeted, “I won’t be unreasonable in asking for your approval. Shut up already.” This may be the “real intention” of Prime Minister Kishida and his people.

But this is not the same as saying, ‘I don’t know how much it will cost, but I want to have a big funeral and I want you to pay for it. … It sounds like a child crying and begging for a toy,” said a reporter from the political section of a national newspaper.

The Restoration Association and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) have announced that they will attend the national funeral. The decision is reserved for the Constitution. The Communist Party decided not to attend because it would violate the spirit of the Constitution. Reiwa Shinsei and the Social Democratic Party also declared their absence. One local leader was puzzled and spoke in his own way.

I am against the national funeral,” he said. But I received a “National Funeral Guide” from the Cabinet Office’s National Funeral Executive Committee, so I decided to attend the funeral. But, not to be stingy, I am not sure whether I should pay for the transportation to the funeral at public expense or at my own expense. I decided that since it was a state funeral, it would be public expense for the time being. However, later on, there might be a request from the Communist Party or other parties to return the transportation expenses at a congressional meeting. I wonder how the late Mr. Abe would feel about such a situation. I am sure the bereaved family must be feeling very sad and uncomfortable.”

The emotion-driven decision to hold a state funeral has spilled over into local administrations, causing confusion.

Just before Prime Minister Kishida decided to attend the Diet’s closed session review, his Cabinet’s approval rating dropped sharply. He was also suffering from his own coronary infection and was emotionally disturbed, according to a staff member at the prime minister’s office.

The prime minister had no illusions that his administration would be safe if he won the Upper House election this summer,” said a staff member at the prime minister’s office. He had a mountain of problems to deal with, such as the rapid increase in the number of new corona cases, the weak yen and high prices, and the 180-degree turnaround in his energy policy. Then came the sudden death of former Prime Minister Abe, his state funeral, and the Unification Church issue. I made my decision too early. I was too quick to judge.”

Tormented by his own logical fallacy, his self-esteem was bruised. Prime Minister Kishida’s “statesman’s pride” has been shattered. He has been driven to the point where he says, “It is only a matter of time before his administration collapses.

Furthermore, corruption in the Olympic Games has finally come to a head, and former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori is being questioned as a witness. This is the first and biggest crisis of the administration.

Where are those vacant eyes looking?

The closest advisors that Kishida relies on the most, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara, Prime Minister’s Advisor Hideki Murai, and Secretary to the Prime Minister Takashi Shimada, are not functioning. They have not come up with any ideas to break the deadlock. While these three are reliable in promoting policies, they do not know what politics is all about. The Abe administration had an absolute close aide like Takaya Imai, the secretary who quit his post at the government office and rushed to the prime minister’s office. Prime Minister Kishida has no such person. So, in the end, he had to rely on former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, who is strong in this area. I went all the way to Kan’s office in the Diet building to talk to him.

At the “state funeral,” which was to take place despite opposition, he reportedly asked Kan to deliver a eulogy on behalf of his friend. Kan readily agreed to the request with a simple reply.

Akie Abe was the one who strongly requested Kan to represent her friend. When Cabinet Counselor Imai and Akie’s widow looked back on the Abe administration, the first name that came up was “ Chief Cabinet Secretary Kan. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kan’ was the first name that came up.

One year has passed since the Kishida administration took office. The “national funeral,” which had been launched on a heroic note, turned out to be a major blunder for Prime Minister Kishida, who had played it safe by “doing nothing.

The prime minister seems to be aware that his administration has entered the danger zone,” said a Kishida associate.

Now, Prime Minister Kishida’s eyes are too weak to look his opponents squarely in the eye.