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

Regarding the often criticized ‘lavish spending abroad,’ there might be some misunderstandings. Overseas assistance decisions are made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but it’s not entirely free; it’s usually in the form of loans. 

“One of the accountants in my office used to work in the accounting department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Basically, the financial accounting of what projects are undertaken is transparent, and it often involves infrastructure projects. 

Money isn’t just handed out abroad; it’s often used to develop infrastructure overseas, and Japanese corporations often win contracts for these projects. These corporations also contribute to the ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). 

However, when I looked into it, the specific details of where the money goes aren’t always disclosed. For instance, if it’s about providing or purchasing various machinery for agricultural purposes, the specifics of where that machinery comes from aren’t always made public.”

“Running in the same Kanagawa 2nd District as Mr. Suga was also at my request.”

Actually, besides the voices urging me to join the Liberal Democratic Party, there were invitations from other major political parties as well. However, I chose Reiwa Shinsengumi for several reasons.

“Back in 2013 when I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was being discussed, and I was staunchly against it. However, everyone in the ministry thought that joining the TPP would be in Japan’s national interest. Even though there were many books within the ministry pointing out the negative aspects of the TPP, I found it strange why bureaucrats were pushing for it.

At that time, I heard Mr. Yamamoto, the party leader, giving a speech against the TPP in Shinjuku. I thought, ‘He’s really studied this issue, he’s genuine.’ I chose Reiwa Shinsengumi, a party with no backing from religious groups or big money.

Moreover, the decision to run from Kanagawa 2nd District, the same as Mr. Suga, was at my request. Mr. Suga is 75 years old, while I’m 38. I think the clear contrast between an individual with various vested interests and a newcomer with no political background or connections is apparent.”

Running from Kanagawa 2nd District is undoubtedly a challenging journey. When asked about this, I shared my sentiments and determination:

“Many people tell me to do my best and support me because I’m young. I also love karate, and even someone from a karate dojo who was part of Mr. Suga’s support group said, ‘I won’t support him anymore. I’ll support you.’ Of course, due to business relationships, some people are obliged to support the Liberal Democratic Party. However, when visiting each household, I find that out of 100, maybe only one supports the LDP, if any at all.

But the reality is that many people don’t vote. If everyone takes an interest in elections, and if one out of every four who didn’t vote last time goes to the polls, the outcome could change. I just want to increase voter turnout as much as possible.”