Shigeru Ishiba, Japan’s new prime minister, gave the first speech of his campaign on 15 October at the Onahama Fish Market in Iwaki, where he vowed to revitalize the area’s maritime industry, among other goals – which now face a more difficult path after a snap election saw the country's Liberal Democratic Party lose its ruling coalition.
Ishiba was elected by the Japanese parliament to the position on 1 October.
During Ishiba's speech on 15 October, he heavily emphasized a longtime talking point of his political career – reversing Japan’s excessive urbanization that has resulted in an overcrowded Tokyo and a depopulated countryside. He specifically aims to create jobs and attract young people to more rural areas with government subsidies and infrastructure investments.
“We aim to create a new region centered on agriculture, forestry, and fisheries,” he said. “I would like to pass a supplementary budget that is larger than last year's. Specifically, I’d like to transition to a high value-added economy, in which we will maximize the potential of rural agriculture, forestry and fisheries, construction, tourism, and service industries and realize the migration of 3 million people from urban areas to attractive rural areas.”
The choice of venue for the speech emphasized his determination to …
