September 18, 2023

In the 19-member reshuffled Kishida Cabinet, which was inaugurated on September 13, 15 ministers including Prime Minister Kishida Fumio belong to either of the two pro-Yasukuni parliamentarians’ groups, the Japan Conference (Nippon Kaigi) Dietmembers’ Council and the Shinto Political League. Akahata reported this on September 18 based on its research.

The two groups work in combination with the rightwing constitutional revisionists’ organization Nippon Kaigi which makes persistent demands for the prime minister’s official visit to Yasukuni Shrine which glorifies Japan’s past war of aggression as a “just war for Asian liberation”.

Among the 15 ministers, for example, Economic Revitalization Minister Shindo Yoshitaka and Economic Security Minister Takaichi Sanae serve as vice chairs of the Nippon Kaigi Dietmembers’ Council. Economy Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi and Defense Minister Kihara Minoru hold executive positions in the council. Kihara, who was an acting secretary of the Shinto Political League, now serves as director of the league together with Takaichi. He is a staunch Yasukuni support advocate.

At a press conference on September 13 following the Cabinet reshuffle, PM Kishida expressed his determination to intensify discussions on constitutional amendments at the Constitution Commissions of both Diet chambers. The new Cabinet lineup is dangerous as it reflected Kishida’s determination to adversely revise the Constitution.