With a level from Georgetown College, expertise as international and protection minister and the power to talk fluent English — a rarity amongst Japan’s high lawmakers — digital minister Taro Kono has a knack for interesting to international audiences.
That, mixed along with his present portfolio, offers Kono, 61, the air of a progressive reformer.
Previously, these attributes additionally made him well-liked among the many public and fellow Liberal Democratic Celebration members alike. His reputation was such that he positioned second behind Prime Minister Fumio Kishida within the final LDP presidential election in 2021, after having gained 60 extra proportional votes from the ruling occasion’s rank-and-file members within the first spherical of voting than Kishida, and 5 instances extra regional votes within the runoff. Kishida prevailed because of the backing of LDP lawmakers.
