Ishiba vows to restore trust in politics, reassure public on security threats, high living costs

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday promised to restore trust in politics following a series of scandals and tried to reassure the public amid security threats from Japan's neighbors and higher living costs.

The former defense minister called the security environment facing Japan "the most severe and complex since World War II," in his first speech in parliament after being elected prime minister earlier this week.

Noting recent airspace breaches by Russia and China, and missile development by North Korea, he underscored the urgency of fundamentally bolstering the country's defenses and expanding the network of like-minded nations, with Japan's long-time alliance with the United States at its core.

Following the path set by his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, the 67-year-old leader also promised to continue extending support to inflation-hit households until a cycle of growth and wealth redistribution is "certainly in motion," which would allow people to feel the benefits of economic and wage growth.

He set a goal of achieving a 1,500 yen average minimum hourly wage across the nation by the end of the 2020s, earlier than the previous government's target. It currently stands at 1,055 yen.

Regarding a slush funds scandal that hurt voter confidence in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Ishiba said, "I will restore confidence in politics lost over the issue of political funds and will explain to the people more clearly than ever the situation in which Japan finds itself."

"It is the responsibility of politics to rebuild a safe, secure and prosperous Japan by gaining the understanding and empathy of the people," he said in the Diet.