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Aso Cabinet (Formed September 24, 2008)
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES
Shigeru Ishiba
Date of birth: Feb. 4, 1957
LDP faction: Tsushima
Electoral district: Lower House; Tottori No. 1 (seventh term)
Ishiba is known as a defense expert who has served as chief of the former Defense Agency and as defense minister.
A powerful debater on security issues, he ran in the LDP's presidential election this week with support from younger members of the Tsushima faction. He stressed the importance of examining the economic pain felt by rural areas as a result of fiscal reform.
When the Aegis destroyer Atago ran over a fishing boat in February 2008, killing two fishermen, Ishiba as defense minister was criticized for lack of information disclosure.
He was first elected to the Lower House in 1986 as its youngest member at that time.
Ishiba is sometimes described as an eeotakuff (geek) as he is a fan of idol groups from the 1970s and enjoys building plastic models.
Subsequent changes
- Sep. 24, 08
- Feb. 17, 09
- Jun. 12, 09
- Jul. 2, 09
