Toshihiro Nikai, Former LDP Secretary-General: About Two Years After Retiring from Politics, He Appears Unsteady on His Feet, Raising Concerns

He could not let go of either his power or the helping hand

There was not a trace of strength in the gait of the elder statesman, once known as the “Shadow Prime Minister.”

In late August, Toshihiro Nikai (87), former Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party, appeared at Haneda Airport (Ota Ward, Tokyo).

“He was walking through the airport with a male attendant. He wasn’t carrying a cane or anything, but he was staggering so badly that it looked like he might collapse at any moment without leaning on the man’s arm. I never would have thought that elderly man was Mr. Nikai. His expression was somber, and his eyes were vacant—it made me worry about his health,” said an airport passenger.

Mr. Nikai served as Secretary-General for 1,886 days—the longest tenure in history—but retired from politics in October ’24 after taking responsibility for a slush fund scandal involving the Nikai faction, which he had led. Since then, he has handed over his political stronghold in the 2nd District of Wakayama to his third son, Nobuyasu (48).

“However, Mr. Nikai still holds key positions, such as honorary chairman of the All Japan Travel Agents Association and chairman of the National Federation of Land Improvement Organizations (Zendoren). In particular, he has a strong attachment to Zendoren—which oversees infrastructure, a domain he once regarded as his exclusive domain—and seems to still be full of enthusiasm,” said a political reporter for a national newspaper.

However, the reality of Mr. Nikai, who has vanished from the public stage, is as you can see.

On this day, Mr. Nikai, who had traveled to Tokyo from his constituency, left the airport while clinging desperately to a man’s arm. That image seemed to symbolize the current state of the former “shadow prime minister,” who, even as he approaches his 88th birthday, remains fixated on his seat of power.

From the September 25, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*