Nobuo Kishi (63), the eldest son of Japan’s former Defense Minister and nephew of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Nobuchiyo Kishi (31) announced his candidacy for a by-election to the House of Representatives (lower house) on the 7th. He intends to inherit his father’s constituency.
According to the Jiji News Agency, Mainichi Shimbun, and Yamaguchi Prefecture’s regional broadcaster tys TV Yamaguchi, Nobuchiyo held a press conference in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and announced that he would run for the House of Representatives Yamaguchi District 2 by-election scheduled to be held in April. .
He mentioned his uncle, former Prime Minister Abe, and his father, former Defense Minister Kishi, and emphasized, “I will definitely carry the hearts of the two and work hard.” Former Defense Minister Kishi, who resigned, said, “I will inherit the will and work hard for Yamaguchi 2nd Ward, Yamaguchi Prefecture.”
He also emphasized, “I will do my best to overcome Yamaguchi’s challenges and Japan’s challenges, and I will definitely fight in the election campaign with the determination to create the future of Yamaguchi and Japan.”
On the same day, at the plenary session of the House of Representatives, former defense minister Kishi was permitted to resign. Former Defense Minister Kishi has submitted a resignation on the grounds of health problems. He resigned as Prime Minister’s Assistant (in charge of National Security). It is known that he recently used a wheelchair when moving due to poor health.
Former Defense Minister Kishi is the younger brother of former Prime Minister Abe, who was shot and killed in July last year. Former Minister of Defense Kishi passed into his maternal family and had a different surname. His grandfather is former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi.
A by-election is scheduled to be held on April 23 following the resignation of former Defense Minister Kishi and the death of former Prime Minister Abe. The Yamaguchi 2nd district of the House of Representatives and former Prime Minister Abe’s local districts Yamaguchi 4th, Wakayama 1st district, and Chiba 5th district.
The Yamaguchi Prefectural Alliance of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is holding a contest for candidates for Yamaguchi 2nd Ward, the former defense minister of Kishi, until the 15th.
According to Mainichi, Nobuchiyo is the only candidate who has so far expressed his candidacy for Yamaguchi District 2. Former Defense Minister Kishi has expressed his intention to nominate his eldest son Chiyo Nobu as his successor, so he is likely to be the LDP candidate.
After graduating from Keio University and working as a social affairs reporter at Fuji TV, Nobuchiyo works as a secretary for his father, former Minister of Defense Kishi.
Source: Donga
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