Shinzo Abe
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is a Japanese politician currently serving as Chief Cabinet Secretary to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Along with his predecessor Yasuo Fukuda, he is one of the leading candidates to replace Koizumi upon the prime minister's retirement in September 2006.
Early life
Abe was born into a prominent political family in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture. His father was Shintaro Abe, former secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and his mother's father was former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi.Following graduation from the Department of Political Science of the Faculty of Law at Seikei University in 1977, Mr. Abe studied politics at the University of Southern California. On his return to Japan, Mr. Abe began work at Kobe Steel, and continued there until 1982. He then served as executive assistant to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, private secretary to the chairperson of the LDP General Council, and then as private secretary to the LDP secretary-general.
Political career
| Secretary | Shinzo Abe |
| Internal Affairs | Heizo Takenaka |
| Justice | Seiken Sugiura |
| Foreign Affairs | Taro Aso |
| Finance | Sadakazu Tanigaki |
| Education | Kenji Kosaka |
| Health | Jiro Kawasaki |
| Agriculture | Shoichi Nakagawa |
| Economy | Toshihiro Nikai |
| Land | Kazuo Kitagawa |
| Environment | Yuriko Koike |
| Defense | Fukushiro Nukaga |
| Ministers of State | Tetsuo Kutsukake, Kaoru Yosano, Koki Chuma, Iwao Matsuda, Kuniko Inoguchi |
He was elected to the first district of the Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1993 after his father's death in 1991, winning the most votes of any election in the Prefecture's history. In 1999 he was Director of the Social Affairs Division, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary in the Mori and Koizumi Cabinets from 2000-2003, after which he was appointed Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Abe was chief negotiator for the Japanese government on behalf of the families of Japanese abductees taken to North Korea.
On October 31, 2005, he was nominated Chief Cabinet Secretary of the fifth Koizumi Cabinet, succeeding Hiroyuki Hosoda.
Possible Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda are considered (as of June 2006) leading candidates to replace Koizumi after the prime minister's term expires: Sadakazu Tanigaki and Taro Aso are also possible candidates. However, none have officially declared their candidacy.In a June poll of 403 LDP lawmakers, Abe had the backing of 130, followed by Fukuda with 30."[Focus shifts to Koizumi's successor as Diet session nears end]," Mainichi Daily News, June 17, 2006. Former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, to whose faction both Abe and Fukuda belong, has stated that the faction strongly leans toward Abe."[Mori faction unease mounts / Ex-premier stumped over Abe, Fukuda and party leadership race]," Daily Yomiuri, May 30, 2006.
Abe is perceived as conservative on foreign policy issues and have taken confrontational stances toward other East Asian nations, particularly North Korea and, to a lesser extent, China. He has stated that he might continue controversial Yasukuni shrine visits if he becomes Prime Minister. LDP leader and long-time Koizumi ally Koichi Kato has stated that Abe's hard-line stance on Yasukuni may damage his chances to succeed Koizumi, and has stated that Fukuda, who opposes Yasukuni visits, poses a "threat" to Abe in this regard."[Abe's Chance to Lead Japan Hurt by China Relations, Kato Says]," Bloomberg, June 13, 2006.
References
External links
- () [Official website]
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