It turns out it might be worth remembering his name after all.
The international scorn over how rapidly Japan changes leaders had led some to wonder if it was worth even bothering to take note of Fumio Kishida. After all, his predecessor lasted less than year in the job.
Kishida's premiership started positively enough in late 2021. But it all began to unravel when political opponents and the media seized on the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s ties to the Unification Church following the killing of former leader Shinzo Abe last July. The story dominated the headlines and sidelined Kishida’s agenda for months, sending his approval ratings into a tailspin, despite his lack of personal involvement. Insiders openly questioned whether the prime minister was actually interested in remaining in power, having seemingly done little to play the game of thrones.