Nobuo Kishi

Nobuo Kishi (岸 信夫, Kishi Nobuo), born on April 1, 1959, is a Japanese politician affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He served in the House of Representatives from 2012 until 2023, representing Yamaguchi's 2nd District. Between September 2020 and August 2022, he held the position of Minister of Defense.

Early Life:

Kishi was born in Tokyo as the third son of Shintaro Abe and Yoko Abe (née Kishi). Shortly after his birth, he was adopted by his maternal uncle, Nobukazu Kishi, who was the chairman of Seibu Oil and was unable to have children. Kishi was unaware of his biological parentage and his familial relationship with Shintaro Abe's other sons, Hironobu and Shinzo Abe, until he was preparing to enter university. During the first decade of his life, he resided in Tokyo with his grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi.

Education and Early Career:

He graduated from Keio University, Faculty of Economics, in 1981. Following graduation, Kishi joined Sumitomo Corporation, where he worked until 2002. His postings included assignments in the United States, Vietnam, and Australia.

Political Career:

Kishi was elected to the House of Councillors in 2004, representing Yamaguchi Prefecture, with backing from his brother Shinzo Abe. In the House of Councillors, he gained recognition as a specialist in security issues. His roles included Parliamentary Secretary for Defense during the administrations of Prime Ministers Yasuo Fukuda and Taro Aso, Vice Chairman of the LDP Diet Affairs Committee in the House of Councillors, Vice Chairman of the LDP's Party Organization and Campaign Headquarters, and Chairman of the Special Committee on Okinawa and Northern Problems.

In 2012, Kishi transitioned from the House of Councillors to the House of Representatives, successfully re-establishing a seat in Yamaguchi Prefecture previously held by his grandfather Nobusuke Kishi and great-uncle Eisaku Sato. This seat had been lost to the Democratic Party of Japan in the 2009 general election. His election coincided with his brother Shinzo Abe becoming Prime Minister. Subsequently, Kishi was appointed Senior Vice Foreign Minister in 2013.

Involvement with Japan-Taiwan Relations and Defense Policy:

Kishi promoted Japan's relationship with Taiwan, facilitating an historic meeting between Prime Minister Abe and ROC opposition leader Tsai Ing-wen in 2015. After Tsai's reelection, Kishi met with her in Taiwan in January 2020 and again during the funeral of President Lee Teng-hui in July 2020.

In 2019, Kishi publicly supported Japan acquiring strike capabilities as a defensive measure against North Korea, advocating independence from sole reliance on the United States for military defense.

Defense Minister:

Kishi was appointed Defense Minister under Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in September 2020. His appointment was viewed as influenced by factional politics. During his tenure, he issued a joint statement with Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds in October 2020, affirming Japan's Self Defense Forces' ability to protect Australian military assets—a legal change enacted in September 2015. This was seen as a strategic move concerning regional security, particularly regarding Chinese activities around the Senkaku Islands.

In September 2021, Kishi publicly stated that Japan could not remain indifferent to events in Taiwan due to its proximity and shared values. In 2021, he visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, the first sitting Defense Minister to do so since 2016, prompting criticism from South Korea.

Following Suga's resignation and subsequent appointment of Fumio Kishida as Prime Minister, Kishi retained his position as Defense Minister in October 2021, reinforcing policy continuity regarding China and Taiwan. After the assassination of Shinzo Abe on July 8, 2022, Kishi disclosed that members of the Unification Church, also known as the Moon Sect, participated as volunteers in his campaign activities, including telephone campaigning. He resigned from his ministerial position in August 2022, succeeded by Yasukazu Hamada.

Later, he announced plans to resign from the House of Representatives due to health issues, with a bye-election scheduled for April 23, 2023.

Political Positions and Affiliations:

Kishi has maintained affiliations with right-wing groups, including Nippon Kaigi and the Shinto Political League. His publicly stated positions include support for constitutional revision of Article 9, reactivation of nuclear power plants, and a strong stance toward China. In 2012, he expressed support for revising the Constitution to allow collective self-defense, and in 2014, he stated that nationalism was not on the rise in Japan.

Family:

Kishi is part of a prominent political family. His grandfather was Nobusuke Kishi, a former Prime Minister and influential bureaucrat. His biological father was Shintaro Abe, a former Foreign Minister. His mother was Yoko Abe (née Kishi), the daughter of Nobusuke Kishi. His great-uncle was Eisaku Sato, another former Prime Minister. His adopted father was Nobukazu Kishi, and his adoptive mother was Nakako, connected to the Yamaguchi Prefectural Assembly.

He has brothers Hironobu Abe and Shinzo Abe. His eldest son, Nobuyoshi Kishi, is a former Fuji TV reporter and served as a secretary after becoming a minister.

References and External Links:

[Official website in Japanese]