Yoshimasa Hayashi provides vital support to Japan’s Kishida government; Some say that trust and tension coexist between Hayashi and Kishida

It has now been six months since Yoshimasa Hayashi took over as Chief Cabinet Secretary under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Since then, he has been a pillar of stability at a time of low government approval ratings.

He took over the post following a staff reshuffle in December following the outbreak of a series of political funding scandals involving factions within the Liberal Democratic Party.

Still, some within the party have expressed dissatisfaction with his actions as a cornerstone of the government, for example acting as an intermediary for his coalition partner.

“I have listened in good faith to the voices of those who do not trust politics, and I do not take my duties lightly. I will continue to strongly support the government’s work,” Hayashi, 63, told reporters on Thursday.

This is his seventh time serving as a cabinet member; In the past, he held positions including Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Education and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Hayashi, who is known as a policy expert, rarely makes verbal blunders. He effortlessly handles daily press conferences and never loses his cool when dealing with crises such as the major earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula in January.

When various ministries and agencies ask Kishida’s opinion on an issue, his close aides often say, “If the Cabinet Secretary says it’s OK, then it’s OK.” Such is the Prime Minister’s apparent confidence in Hayashi’s political skills.

On the other hand, Hayashi has kept a firm distance from the recent series of political funding scandals involving LDP factions. He reportedly told those around him that “anyone in the government should not interfere in party affairs.”

As a result, Kishida is often seen making appointments and negotiating with party officials on his own. “Mr. Hayashi doesn’t have enough political courage,” said a mid-ranking LDP member, recalling how Yoshihide Suga, as cabinet secretary in former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government, did everything he could to coordinate policy with the government’s juniors. LDP. coalition partner Komeito.

Some believe Hayashi’s stance on this stems from the delicate sense of distance between him and the prime minister. The two have long been rivals as people on whom the LDP’s Kochikai, known as the Kishida faction, has pinned its hopes.

Before officially offering Hayashi his current position, he made his intention known through the party’s acting secretary general, Seiji Kihara. A person familiar with the faction says Kishida and Hayashi have a relationship where “trust and tension coexist.”

Still, it is essential that Hayashi, who aspires to become Kishida’s successor, supports the governance of the so-called Kochikai faction. The test of his political capabilities will be whether he is able to strengthen the cabinet’s cohesive power amid the headwinds now blowing against the government.