When former Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi stepped down as representative for the Yamaguchi Prefecture No. 2 district in early February due to illness, his eldest son, Nobuchiyo, immediately stepped up, announcing he would run for his father’s seat in the resulting April 23 by-election.
But Nobuchiyo Kishi emphasized his family history as a reason to elect him, thereby igniting a public backlash and once again putting the issue of candidates from political dynasties in the spotlight.
The 31-year-old enters the race with no previous experience as a politician. Born in the United States, he worked as a Fuji TV reporter before becoming his father’s secretary. It was these family connections, he said, that led him to throw his hat into the ring.