Since stepping down, former Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru has returned to his hometown of Tottori Prefecture almost every week and has increasingly taken the opportunity to share his unique experiences with attendees.
Looking back on his time in office, he sometimes makes gentle comments on the current Prime Minister Takahashi Sanae's government, including expressing mixed feelings about his reversal of some policies he once strongly advocated for.
On November 22, Ishiba held a national policy briefing in Tottori City, marking his first such event in the prefecture since leaving the prime ministerial post. He delivered a one-hour speech on his year in office.
He emphasized the success of the 2025 Osaka Kansai World Expo, which attracted more than 25.57 million visitors, and said, "In the end, it was too crowded, and people couldn't get in."
He also revealed his first impression of the official mascot of the World Expo, Myaku-Myaku, which he called "a strange thing" because "it has so many eyes," and its color is completely different from real creatures.
However, when his two daughters in their thirties told him that "Myaku-Myaku is cute," he changed his mind, thinking, "Maybe it's feasible," he said.
Ishiba expressed regret over goals he failed to achieve during his tenure, especially the establishment of a national disaster prevention agency, one of his signature policies.
"Given that Japan is one of the countries most vulnerable to disasters, we need to establish the best disaster prevention system in the world. This is exactly what I wanted to do when I was Prime Minister," he said.
Prime Minister Takahashi stated that she plans to continue this policy, saying, "We will accelerate preparations and aim to establish the agency next year."
To address the rice shortage, Ishiba announced in August that Japan would re-examine its policy of reducing rice planting areas, shifting instead to increasing rice production.
On November 22, at a national policy briefing, Ishiba said, "I believe I was absolutely right. I am convinced that this is beneficial for food security, and for the country's independence and peace."
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Suzuki Norikazu pledged to change the policy direction and implement a "demand-oriented" policy, a decision that drew criticism from Ishiba. He stated that although the policy direction is unpredictable, the government should not choose policies solely based on current circumstances.
On the same day, at a national policy briefing in Kurayoshi City, Tottori Prefecture, he also mentioned the dissolution of the Liberal Democratic Party and the ruling coalition with Komei Party, saying, "I think this is completely wrong."
"When the LDP went too far, it was the Komei Party that told us, 'Wait a minute.' We must never forget that they stood by our side during difficult times," he continued.
This article is a deep translation, for exchange and learning purposes only, and does not represent the views of this account.
Original: toutiao.com/article/7581698695985381942/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.