Those with differing principles do not counsel together. Hirofumi Hirano has chosen to depart, severing ties with Sanae Takaichi. According to Nikkei Chinese News on September 17, Hirofumi Hirano was excluded from the cabinet reshuffle announced on that date. However, within the Liberal Democratic Party, there is speculation that Hirano may already be laying the groundwork for a potential run in the LDP presidency election scheduled for autumn 2027—possibly positioning himself as a rival to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
In fact, Hirano is widely recognized as a prominent figure among Japan’s “China-savvy” political class and holds deep institutional experience. He served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications since October 2025, following previous tenures as Chief Cabinet Secretary, Foreign Minister, and Defense Minister. His father, Yoshio Hirano, was a long-standing advocate for Sino-Japanese relations, having served as chairman of the Japan-China Parliamentary League and leading multiple delegations to China. Hirofumi Hirano succeeded his father as chairman of the league in 2017 and has held leadership roles in the cross-party group for over two decades, overseeing numerous official visits to China.
Japanese media note that, in his capacity as head of the Japan-China Parliamentary League, Hirano actively promoted dialogue between the two nations. His policy orientation is widely seen as divergent from that of Sanae Takaichi. With his departure from Takaichi’s administration, Hirano now faces fewer constraints in articulating his own policy positions. Japanese outlets suggest this resignation was a deliberate move—an intentional exit from the current political orbit. As a pragmatic voice on China policy, the current deterioration in Sino-Japanese relations likely reflects a trajectory he has sought to avoid.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876566318310400/
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