Shinjiro Koizumi’s Shocking Display of Rudeness to His Boss Sparks Outrage and Discussion on Japan’s Future

“The raw material for plastic is petroleum. Surprisingly, this is not widely known.” (March 18, 2021, on J-WAVE’s “JAM THE WORLD”)

“To tackle big issues like climate change, it needs to be fun, cool, and sexy.” (September 2019, at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York)

“The act of explaining what it means is not sexy.” (In response to questions about the true meaning of the previous statement)

“The reason the answer is 46%—it’s not entirely clear. It came to mind vaguely.” (April 23, 2021, on TBS’s “NEWS23” in response to a question about greenhouse gas reduction targets)

Shinjiro Koizumi, the former Environment Minister known for his dazzling white smile and perplexing remarks delivered with a refreshing tone, has caused confusion among those around him.

 

Initially, Mr. Koizumi was scheduled to hold a press conference on August 30 to announce his candidacy for the LDP leadership election. However, he announced a one-week delay due to the approach of Typhoon No. 10. In reality, the situation changed when Taro Kono, the Minister for Digital Affairs, who had held a press conference earlier, demonstrated a strict response to the issue of factional slush funds by stating, “We will rectify the issue by returning the amounts not reported in the political funds income and expenditure report.” This response led to the situation where “we had no choice but to reconsider the strategy” (according to a close associate of Mr. Koizumi).

 

If strict measures are taken, public opinion could be supportive, but members from the former Abe and Nikai factions who have been penalized for similar issues might not be pleased. The question remains whether Koizumi will align himself with the public or the political circles of Nagatacho. 

It goes without saying, but his father is former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (82), his brother is actor Kotaro Koizumi (46), and his wife is Christel Takigawa (46), making him part of a glamorous family. Even among the LDP, which has many hereditary politicians and former celebrities, his presence stands out. The media coverage is so intense that he is often compared to John F. Kennedy, who became the President of the United States at 43.

On the other hand, his legislative experience spans 15 years, and he has only held the position of Minister of the Environment. As indicated by the concerns from his endorsers about his policy stances, the current focus is on how he will handle debates effectively.

 

 

 

A former member of the Abe faction, who is now a fourth-term legislator, explains the background behind why Shinjiro Koizumi is being promoted as the “front-runner” for the LDP leadership:

 

“The party is mired in a quagmire due to the slush fund issue, and it is almost impossible to win the next general election. With defeat being almost certain, the focus is on minimizing the loss. While the Prime Minister and party leader must have insight, knowledge, a sense of national vision, and historical perspective, the weaker legislators often consider who can best serve as the ‘face of the election.’ There are LDP members and grassroots supporters, but many party members come from specific industries like agricultural cooperatives, medical associations, and construction. The idea of the LDP becoming an opposition party is unacceptable, so ‘choosing a leader who can win the election’ is the most critical issue.

 

Kono, the Digital Minister, and Shigeru Ishiba, the former Secretary-General, who have already declared their candidacy, have shown a strict stance on the slush fund issue, and they are not handling it lightly. The truth is, it is more convenient to have a candidate who seems to address the issue with superficial reforms and a mere sense of ‘doing something.’” 

 

Within the LDP, there are about 140 members who have served four terms or fewer. Since there are 367 LDP members with voting rights, this group represents nearly 40% of the total. Excluding hereditary politicians, these members often lack a solid electoral base, making it undeniable that the popularity of the party leader can influence their own election prospects.

During his candidacy press conference, Kono stated, “It’s easy to just talk about reforms. I have not only talked about reforms but have also accumulated achievements.”Subtly countering Koizumi.

 

 

 

However, according to a Nikkei newspaper survey conducted from August 21 to 22, Koizumi topped the list of “suitable candidates for the next party leader” with 23%. Ishiba, who had previously held the top position, came in second with 18%. This result suggests that Koizumi is already being seen as a potential “face of the election.”

Nevertheless, while immediate approval ratings and elections are important, there are concerns about the future national interest. Former House of Representatives member Hiroyuki Miyazawa (49), who resigned due to a scandal involving “compensated dating,” criticized Koizumi’s potential leadership in a broadcast on ‘ABEMA News Show’ on August 26:

“I can’t imagine him meeting with figures like Trump, Kamala Harris, Xi Jinping, or Putin. If he were to do that, I think Japan might be in serious trouble. Issues like Taiwan or the Senkaku Islands could come up immediately.”

Concerns are not limited to former legislators. Yukiko Amakawa, a political scientist who has accompanied former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on overseas trips as an interpreter, recounts her experience with Koizumi during his time at CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) in Washington:

 

“In 2006, when I was invited as a panelist to a CSIS symposium, I was surprised when Shinjiro Koizumi, whom I met for the first time, greeted me with ‘Hey!’ This is equivalent to ‘Hey, how are you?’ in Japanese. I was shocked and asked Michael Green, a political scientist and his superior, ‘Did he just say Hey?’ Michael Green replied that he greets everyone like that, even him. I told Michael Green that he needed to be taught better manners, and he said he would try harder. Koizumi seemed to be treated more as a guest for show rather than a serious researcher.”

The scenario of a new Prime Minister or party leader addressing world leaders with informal greetings like “Hey, how are you?” raises concerns about the future of Japan’s diplomatic efforts.