Ryo Miyoshi, Former Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bureaucrat, Reflects on Prime Minister Kishida’s Stint as Foreign Minister

When he left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, many people told him to “join the Liberal Democratic Party,” “introduce him to LDP members,” and “put on the badge first,” but he refused. 

 “When I was studying in America, I wondered why the LDP was implementing such anti-Japan policies that were causing Japan to deteriorate. I questioned whether they were intentionally destroying Japan or if someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes. Upon investigation, I discovered deep connections with the Unification Church (at the time).

 

So, when I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I told people there that in the future, I would become a politician and raise the issue of the LDP’s connection with the Unification Church in the Diet. But I was labeled as a conspiracy theorist by people at the ministry, and they laughed, saying, ‘What’s the point of doing something like that?’ Even my family didn’t take me seriously.

 

It was strange that despite the fact that LDP members were attending various meetings of the Unification Church and sending congratulatory messages, nobody seemed to question it. But after the assassination attempt on former Prime Minister Abe in 2022, people at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs finally said to me ironically, ‘Looks like what Miyoshi-san said was true.'”

“Mr. Kishida didn’t have a bad reputation because he would read the bureaucrats’ answers verbatim.”

As for the impression of Mr. Kishida during his time as a bureaucrat and Foreign Minister

“Well, bureaucrats typically prepare responses in advance for events like joint press conferences, where journalists’ questions are anticipated and scripted responses are prepared for ministers or prime ministers to read. Mr. Kishida would simply read the prepared responses, so there wasn’t any negative reputation about him. There was also no sense of arrogance in his demeanor.

However, because he would just read the prepared responses word for word, some would say he was more of a reader than a leader. A senior colleague once told me, ‘Our job is to control the Prime Minister and the ministers. When they say something that wasn’t written, and problems arise, it’s the bureaucrats who have to deal with it. Suppressing your own emotions and what you want to say, and reading every single word, isn’t something everyone can do. It’s an impressive skill.’ I remember that.

When I asked my friends at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about their impressions of Mr. Kishida during his time as a minister, many said they ‘don’t remember anything’ or ‘have no impression.’

However, becoming Prime Minister seems to have changed that perception. Now, he’s asked questions about various topics like the Noto Peninsula earthquake and the secret funds issue. Even when Reiwa’s Representative, Mr. Yamamoto, asked questions in the Diet recently, Mr. Kishida understood the context regarding the Noto Peninsula earthquake and responded in his own words.

At least in comparison to just reading prepared responses as he did before, I think it’s better when Mr. Kishida expresses himself in his own words.

But, during a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, when the Northern Territories issue came up and they discussed the UN Charter, Mr. Kishida didn’t provide a response. It was probably unexpected compared to the prepared responses, and he wasn’t ready for Lavrov’s remarks.”

“I think he has the ability to listen. However…”

So, what do you think of Prime Minister Kishida’s ability to listen?

“I believe he has the ability to listen. However, not necessarily to the common people.

During his time as Foreign Minister, he listened to what the Foreign Ministry bureaucrats said, and after becoming Prime Minister, it seems he listens to what organizations like Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), religious groups, and large corporations that provide organizational support and donations say.”