Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Tanzan Ishibashi at the prime minister's office in Tokyo's Nagatacho district in 1957 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Tanzan Ishibashi (1884-1973), which lasted for only 65 days after his inauguration in December 1956, was the shortest-lived one under the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Ishibashi became ill soon after he assumed the prime minister's office. His entourage urged him to recuperate for a while and stay on, but he refused and retired with grace.

Earlier in his career, Ishibashi had been a reporter with the Toyo Keizai Shimpo economic journal.

He once wrote an editorial in which he severely criticized Prime Minister Osachi Hamaguchi (1870-1931) for creating a political vacuum by refusing to step down even though his injury prevented him from attending Diet sessions after he was shot in an attempted assassination.

Ishibashi believed firmly in practicing what he preached.

During his tenure as prime minister, a male baby was born. He grew up to become a bank employee and then a politician.

That is Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

In his recently published book “Hoshu Seijika” (Conservative politician), Ishiba lauds Ishibashi’s attitude and philosophy as “suggesting something of great value to present-day Japanese politics.”

And he continues, “The Japanese people must be looking very closely at the LDP to determine if the party is truly contrite and ready to reform itself.”

The first edition of his book appeared in August. I wonder if he is now ruminating over what has transpired since, culminating in the Lower House election fiasco that cost the LDP-Komeito coalition its majority.

I do not believe the Ishiba administration is wholly to blame for the defeat. Problems of “money in politics” are the LDP’s chronic disease, so to speak.

Still, there is no question that Ishiba’s repeated failure to walk the talk made the public distrust the LDP even more.

Ishiba on Oct. 28 expressed his intention to continue to hold the reins of government, noting that national politics must not be allowed to stall.

But wait a minute, wasn’t it Ishiba himself who dissolved the Lower House abruptly and brought politics to a grinding halt?

If politicians are unable to keep their word, they lose the trust of the people.

Ishibashi once said, “Even if they can form their new Cabinet simply because their party holds the majority, the Cabinet cannot possibly last forever” without the trust of the people.

It’s still too hard to see what’s ahead.

—The Asahi Shimbun, Oct. 29

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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.

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