Fumio Kishida

Fumio Kishida in 2021

Fumio Kishida (Japanese: 岸田 文雄; born 29 July 1957) is a Japanese politician who currently serves as the Prime Minister of Japan since 4 October 2021. He previously served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2012–2017 and 2021 and Minister of Defense in 2017.

Quotes

• Russia's actions (in attacking Ukraine) very clearly damage Ukraine's sovereignty and go against international law. We once again criticize these moves and strongly urge Russia to return to diplomatic discussions. Should the situation worsen, we'll move quickly to take further action.
  • Fumio Kishida (2022) cited in "World Reaction to the Invasion of Ukraine" on Wilson Center, 24 February 2022.

• This attack (assassination of Shinzō Abe) is an act of brutality that happened during the elections - the very foundation of our democracy - and is absolutely unforgivable.
  • Fumio Kishida (2022) cited in "Shinzo Abe: Japan ex-leader assassinated while giving speech" on BBC News, 8 July 2022.

• We must absolutely defend free and fair elections, which are the basis of democracy. We will proceed with our election campaign as planned with the firm conviction that we will never yield to violence (assassination of Shinzo Abe).
  • Fumio Kishida (2022) cited in "Japan votes in election billed as 'defense of democracy' as police admit security 'problems' during Shinzo Abe assassination" on CNN, 10 July 2022.

Quotes about Kishida

• What is Prime Minister Kishida thinking when he decides to sever ties with those who have fought at the risk of their lives to prevent Japan from leaning left since before he entered university? Wasn’t there peace in society afterward thanks to them? Has Prime Minister Kishida ever fought for Japan with the same dedication as they have? It is unavoidable to conclude that Prime Minister Kishida’s actions go against the “essence of conservatism.”
  …How can the people trust a Prime Minister who violates freedom of religion for personal protection without adequately countering attacks from opposition parties and the media? For many conservative supporters of the LDP, Prime Minister Kishida’s actions showed his weakness and, despite religious persecution for the sake of popularity, did not stop his decline in approval ratings.
  • Toshikazu Masubuchi, "The Unification Church Case in Japan: A Politician Speaks Up. 3. Political Motivations Behind the Request of a Dissolution Order", Bitter Winter (February 29, 2024)

External links

• Encyclopedic article on Fumio Kishida on Wikipedia