Yasutoshi Nishimura

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Nishimura at the Central Government Building No.4 (January 31, 2014)

Yasutoshi Nishimura (西村 康稔, Nishimura Yasutoshi, born October 15, 1962) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).

Profile and career[]

Nishimura with Urmas Paet (January 31, 2014)

A native of Akashi, Hyōgo and a relative of , a former Minister of Home Affairs, Nishimura graduated the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law in 1985.[1]

Nishimura joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1985 and graduated from Graduate School of Public Affairs, University of Maryland in 1992[1] while in the ministry. In 2003 he was elected for the first time as an independent after running unsuccessfully in 2000. He later joined the LDP.

Nishimura was running for the LDP presidential elections which was held September 28, 2009, but Sadakazu Tanigaki was elected.

Nishimura also served as Acting Director, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Division of LDP, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Fukuda Cabinet), Deputy Chairman, Policy Research Council of LDP, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of LDP's Shadow Cabinet, Senior Vice Minister of Cabinet Office.[2]

Since September 2019, Nishimura is serving as minister for economic and fiscal policy; economic revitalization; social security reform; the Trans-Pacific Partnership;[3] and as minister for Covid-19 response since March 2020.[4]

On 8th July, 2021, Nishimura announced the government would seek financial institutions "to lobby [their] customers that operate bars and restaurants to comply with government requests to temporarily close" and possibly to withhold loans to holdouts,[5] as well as to request beverage wholesale companies to stop trading with such businesses.[6] The government retracted the policy a day later, however,[7] with the chief cabinet secretary Katsunobu Kato stating "he had instructed Nishimura to be more careful about what he says during news conferences".[8]

In 2013, Nishimura has denied the accusation of prostitution during his 2012 visit to Vietnam.[9][10]

Nishimura became the first Suga cabinet minister to visit the controversial Yasukuni Shrine that enshrine the WWII war criminals.[11] The visit was made the day after his remarks urging people to stay home during the Obon season [12] amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across Japan.[13]

Ideology[]

Nishimura is affiliated to the openly revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi,[14] He advocates its main causes, which are: the revision of the constitution, the right for collective self-defense (revision of Article 9), visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine.[15]

Nishimura is also a member of several right-wing Diet groups, including:

  • Nippon Kaigi Diet discussion group (日本会議国会議員懇談会, Nippon kaigi kokkai giin kondankai)
  • Conference of parliamentarians on the Shinto Association of Spiritual Leadership (神道政治連盟国会議員懇談会, Shinto Seiji Renmei Kokkai Giin Kondankai) - NB: SAS a.k.a. Sinseiren, Shinto Political League
  • (as the Chairman) Committee for promoting the reform of the Fundamental Education Law (教育基本法改正促進委員会, Kyouiku kihonhou kaisei sokushin iinkai)
  • Japan Rebirth (創生「日本」, Sosei Nippon)
  • Alliance of Diet Members for Acting Toward the Fast Rescue of Japanese Victims Kidnapped by North Korea (北朝鮮に拉致された日本人を早期に救出するために行動する議員連盟, Kita Chousen ni rachi sareta Nipponjin wo souki kyuushutsu suru tame ni koudou suru giin renmei)
  • Conference of young parliamentarians supporting the idea that the Yasukuni Shrine is a true national interest and desire for peace (平和を願い真の国益を考え靖国神社参拝を支持する若手国会議員の会)

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b The Cabinet / NISHIMURA Yasutoshi / Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy, Minister in charge Economic Revitalization, Minister in charge of Social Security Reform, Minister in charge of Trans-Pacific Partnership
  2. ^ Nishimura Yasutoshi profile on LDP website: jimin.jp/english/profile/members/114731.html (retrieved Dec 12, 2014)
  3. ^ "The Cabinet: NISHIMURA Yasutoshi". Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  4. ^ "西村やすとし オフィシャルサイト". yasutoshi.jp. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  5. ^ "COVID-19 proposal for bars withdrawn after furor erupts | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  6. ^ "Japan retracts controversial policy to pressure restaurants to stop serving alcohol". The Japan Times. 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  7. ^ 吉川慧 (2021-07-09). "西村氏｢酒提供店に金融機関から働きかけ｣ 発言、与党幹部からも苦言→一日で撤回【UPDATE】". www.businessinsider.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  8. ^ "COVID-19 proposal for bars withdrawn after furor erupts | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  9. ^ "安倍政権の火種、自民党幹部に相次ぐ売春疑惑…1回20分×2でお値段4万円？". ビジネスジャーナル/Business Journal | ビジネスの本音に迫る. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  10. ^ "週刊誌"買春疑惑"西村副大臣「事実ではない」". テレ朝news (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  11. ^ "Minister Nishimura visits war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo". Mainichi Daily News. 2021-08-13. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
  12. ^ "西村経済再生相が靖国神社を参拝 菅内閣の現職閣僚で初：朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-08-13.
  13. ^ "Minister Nishimura visits war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo". Mainichi Daily News. 2021-08-13. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
  14. ^ Nippon Kaigi website
  15. ^ Yasutoshi website: yasutoshi.jp/activity/?id=1253797203 (retrieved Dec 12, 2014)

External links[]

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