Japan's Ishiba, leading a minority govt, must find political nous to thrive

His best odds are to rediscover that courage to go against the grain to make a difference

- Walter Sim

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, held hostage to the whims and demands of the opposition as he heads a minority government, began and ended his second policy speech to Parliament by quoting a man who lasted just 65 days as premier.

"We must form a habit of frankly exchanging opinions on national issues and, while clarifying each party's position, join forces to keep up with the progress of the world," Mr Ishiba said on Nov 29, citing a line from a speech made by Mr Tanzan Ishibashi on Feb 4, 1957 - incidentally also the day Mr Ishiba was born.

That speech was notable for Mr Ishibashi's pledge to work across the political divide even though he was in a position of strength. But the founding member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had his term in office cut short by a stroke, with his tenure from Dec 23, 1956, to Feb 25, 1957, making him Japan's third shortest-serving PM.

Mr Ishiba, meanwhile, finds himself in circumstances poles apart from Mr Ishibashi's as he goes into an extraordinary Diet session that runs until Dec 21. In a position of weakness, he would have to avoid being a transient premier as Mr Ishibashi was under circumstances out of his control - by having his wits about him.

The frailty of Mr Ishiba's position is the result of his squandering the parliamentary majority of his LDP and its coalition partner Komeito in hastily calling a snap election on Oct 27, just weeks after he took office on Oct 1.

He had used his maiden policy speech on Oct 4 to paint a wholesome vision of Japan where "smiles return to everyone's faces." Voters instead punished his party for money scandals and unbearable inflation.