Hiroyuki Mocks Koizumi’s English as Crucial Diplomatic Event Looms Over Leadership Contest

Graduated from the prestigious Columbia University Graduate School, on par with Harvard University

Shinjiro Koizumi (44), the leading candidate for the LDP presidency, is now facing growing concern.

On September 27, a debate featuring five LDP presidential candidates was broadcast on the party’s official YouTube channel, among other platforms.

Attention quickly turned to Koizumi, after it was revealed that he had requested positive comments be posted on his press conference video—a case of stealth marketing. Entrepreneur Hiroyuki Nishimura (48), known as “Hiroyuki,” who appeared on the same program, immediately called him out, prompting Koizumi to apologize, saying:

“I deeply regret creating an environment where the other candidates had to respond to this.”

Then, Hiroyuki suddenly switched to English, asking the five candidates:

“Please explain in English, in under one minute, what kind of country you want Japan to become.”

While Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi (64) and former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi (69)—both Harvard graduates—responded in English, Koizumi, who completed his graduate studies at Columbia University, a school as prestigious as Harvard, replied:

“We shouldn’t play along with Hiroyuki’s suggestion. I’ll answer in Japanese.”

He thus refrained from speaking English.

This sparked an uproar on social media, with comments like:

“Didn’t he graduate from Columbia University?”

“Is his English really okay?”

Koizumi attended Kanto Gakuin from elementary school through university before earning his master’s degree in political science at Columbia University.

A woman who was Koizumi’s classmate in high school recalled:

“He was really into baseball, but to be honest, he wasn’t exactly a top student. He was the type everyone liked—since his father (Junichiro Koizumi) was the Prime Minister back then, even the teachers would joke and call him ‘Mr. Koizumi.’ He also had a really cute girlfriend.”

President Trump assessing the value of Japan’s next prime minister

Shinjiro Koizumi continues to lead the LDP presidential race.

According to the latest survey summarizing the voting trends of 295 party lawmakers, the voting intentions of about 71.9% (212 members) have been roughly determined. Koizumi holds the lead with 65 votes, followed by Yoshimasa Hayashi with 53, showing strong momentum. Sanae Takaichi (64) trails with 36, while Toshimitsu Motegi and Takayuki Kobayashi (50) both have 29.

Among party members, both Takaichi and Koizumi are expected to secure triple-digit votes. If the situation continues, no candidate will win outright in the first round, leading to a runoff between Koizumi and Takaichi. However, the 83 lawmakers who remain undecided could still alter the outcome.

Political commentator Harumi Arima shared his view on how the race might unfold:

“As things stand, Koizumi is in the lead, and there’s a high possibility he’ll hold on to it. From his camp’s perspective, Takaichi would be the preferred opponent in a runoff, since Koizumi could gain an advantage in lawmakers’ votes. If Hayashi were the opponent instead, it would be difficult to predict how the votes would move, and there could be surprises.”

Once the new LDP president is chosen on October 4, a special Diet session in mid-October will appoint the new Prime Minister. Although the opposition could field a unified candidate, it’s unlikely they’ll reach a consensus. As such, the new LDP president is expected to become Japan’s next Prime Minister — but challenges await immediately.

U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to stop by Japan before attending the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 31 and November 1.

“Trump is likely coming to size up Japan’s new prime minister. The question is whether they can hold their own on equal footing. If Koizumi becomes prime minister, concerns about his English ability will surface. Of course, interpreters are present for formal talks, but casual hallway conversations or small talk before photo sessions are usually done directly. How smoothly he can handle such exchanges will be crucial. Former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (68) sometimes found himself isolated in those situations,” said a political insider.

Following APEC, important international conferences such as ASEAN and the G20 Summit are also scheduled. How well the new leader can build rapport with other world leaders will be a key test.

“Even within the LDP, we occasionally hear people asking, ‘Can Koizumi really handle it?’ Some are hoping his wife, Christel Takigawa, who is fluent in English and French, can provide support. However, with major diplomatic events coming up right away, this recent ‘English issue’ might end up dealing a body blow to his presidential campaign,” remarked a political reporter.

If Koizumi does become Prime Minister, will he be able to deliver results on the international stage?