Japan has a new leader, Yoshihiko Noda, who will be sworn in as Japan’s 95th Prime Minister on Friday. It can be difficult to judge Japanese politicians you’ve likely never heard of before, so here’s some background on the man. He’s from Chiba Prefecture, home of Narita Airport and Tokyo Disneyland, and at the age of 54 is on the young side for a Japanese PM. The youngest of 11 children, he’s closer to humble everyman Naoto Kan than than so-called “thoroughbred” politicians like Yukio Hatoyama, who’s so wealthy he “forgot” to report the $150,000 pocket money his mother had given him each month over the past few years. Mr. Noda is a fan of martial arts and holds a black belt in judo, and during his education he attended the management school established by Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic and one of Japan’s most respected businessmen. One issue that always comes up with new Japanese leaders is the issue of Yasukuni Shrine, where the souls of 2.4 million Japanese soldiers are enshrined, along with Japan’s war criminals. If a Prime Minister visit the shrine in an official capacity, relations with China and South Korea turn sour; if they abstain from visiting the shrine, they’re attacked by right-wing politicians like Tokyo Governor Ishihara as “not proper Japanese.”
Yoshihiko Noda, Japan’s new Prime Minister.
