Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on April 2 (Takeshi Iwashita)

Who will be the next prime minister of Japan?

When Prime Minister Eisaku Sato announced his intention to step down after overseeing Okinawa's transition back to Japanese rule, four individuals stepped forward as Sato’s potential successor.

They were Takeo Miki, Kakuei Tanaka, Masayoshi Ohira and Takeo Fukuda. Their quest for the premiership was dubbed the battle of "San-Kaku-Dai-Fuku." The latter was written with four kanji characters, taken from each man’s name.

Tanaka won the contest in 1972.

Five decades later today, I am hearing the term “Koishikawa,” which is the collective appellation of a trio consisting of Shinjiro Koizumi, Shigeru Ishiba and Taro Kono.

Their names always come up in opinion polls on “the most suitable candidate for prime minister.”

In the last Liberal Democratic Party presidential election, they joined forces in their fight against Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. I wonder if the trio will again play key roles in the LDP presidential election this autumn.

No sooner had the Diet adjourned than a chorus to oust Kishida began.

His predecessor, former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, has effectively demanded Kishida’s exit, stating that his handling of the LDP slush funds scandal incurred the distrust of many citizens.

If the dissatisfaction with Kishida that some lawmakers had voiced could be likened to a slight breeze, Suga’s pronouncement is a tornado accompanied by churning black clouds.

Reportedly, Suga has also said, “The LDP presidential election gives the public the very best opportunity to understand how the party thinks about its own reform.”

The presidential candidates should definitely debate thoroughly on issues that have been put on the back burner, such as the political fund system and the revenue sources for funding the party’s policies concerning children.

But there have been plenty of opportunities so far to get results, without having to wait until autumn.

We must bear in mind not to jump to hasty conclusions or be deluded into thinking that a new party leader means a renovated party.

An anagram of Kakuei Tanaka in “kana” phonetic symbols is “naikaku kaeta,” which translates literally as “he has reformed the Cabinet.”

Something may acquire a dramatically different appearance, when it hasn’t changed at all underneath. That sort of thing happens in life.

—The Asahi Shimbun, June 26

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.