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While there are many different types of governments, some of the most common include presidential, parliamentary, and monarchical.
Since Japan is a parliamentary monarchy, the elected government is ultimately in charge of setting national policy, even though the emperor acts as the head of state. The parliament selects the prime minister, who serves as the head of government.
Shigeru Ishiba became Japan's next prime minister after winning the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership vote. Formerly, Fumio Kishida was the Prime Minister of Japan before Shigeru Ishiba.
He served as prime minister from late 2021 until he announced his decision not to seek re-election in August 2024, amid various challenges, including corruption scandals and declining public approval ratings.
Additionally, do you know Japan has a total of 64 Prime Ministers from 1885 till now, with Itō Hirobumi being the first Prime Minister of Japan and Shigeru Ishiba being the most recent addition to this list?
Let's learn more about the political history of Japan and how each prime minister has contributed to the country's development and growth over the years.
Check Out| Who is Shigeru Ishiba? The New Prime Minister of Japan
List of the Prime Ministers of Japan (1885-2025)
Here is the table of the list of successive Prime Ministers of Japan:
| No. | Prime Minister | Days in Office | Term |
| 101st | Shigeru Ishiba | - | October 1, 2024 - incumbent |
| 100th | KISHIDA Fumio | 38 | October 4, 2021 - November 10, 2021 |
| 99th | SUGA Yoshihide | 384 | September 16, 2020 - October 4, 2021 |
| 98th | ABE Shinzo | 1,051 | November 1, 2017 - September 16, 2020 |
| 97th | ABE Shinzo | 1,044 | December 24, 2014 - November 1, 2017 |
| 96th | ABE Shinzo | 729 | December 26, 2012 - December 24, 2014 |
| 95th | NODA Yoshihiko | 482 | September 2, 2011 - December 26, 2012 |
| 94th | KAN Naoto | 452 | June 8, 2010 - September 2, 2011 |
| 93rd | HATOYAMA Yukio | 266 | September 16, 2009 - June 8, 2010 |
| 92nd | ASO Taro | 358 | September 24, 2008 - September 16, 2009 |
| 91st | FUKUDA Yasuo | 365 | September 26, 2007 - September 24, 2008 |
| 90th | ABE Shinzo | 366 | September 26, 2006 - September 26, 2007 |
| 89th | KOIZUMI Junichiro | 371 | September 21, 2005 - September 26, 2006 |
| 88th | KOIZUMI Junichiro | 673 | November 19, 2003 - September 21, 2005 |
| 87th | KOIZUMI Junichiro | 938 | April 26, 2001 - November 19, 2003 |
| 86th | MORI Yoshiro | 297 | July 4, 2000 - April 26, 2001 |
| 85th | MORI Yoshiro | 91 | April 5, 2000 - July 4, 2000 |
| 84th | OBUCHI Keizo | 616 | July 30, 1998 - April 5, 2000 |
| 83rd | HASHIMOTO Ryutaro | 631 | November 7, 1996 - July 30, 1998 |
| 82nd | HASHIMOTO Ryutaro | 302 | January 11, 1996 - November 7, 1996 |
| 81st | MURAYAMA Tomiichi | 561 | June 30, 1994 - January 11, 1996 |
| 80th | HATA Tsutomu | 64 | April 28, 1994 - June 30, 1994 |
| 79th | HOSOKAWA Morihiro | 263 | August 9, 1993 - April 28, 1994 |
| 78th | MIYAZAWA Kiichi | 644 | November 5, 1991 - August 9, 1993 |
| 77th | KAIFU Toshiki | 616 | February 28, 1990 - November 5, 1991 |
| 76th | KAIFU Toshiki | 203 | August 10, 1989 - February 28, 1990 |
| 75th | UNO Sousuke | 69 | June 3, 1989 - August 10, 1989 |
| 74th | TAKESHITA Noboru | 576 | November 6, 1987 - June 3, 1989 |
| 73rd | NAKASONE Yasuhiro | 473 | July 22, 1986 - November 6, 1987 |
| 72nd | NAKASONE Yasuhiro | 939 | December 27, 1983 - July 22, 1986 |
| 71st | NAKASONE Yasuhiro | 396 | November 27, 1982 - December 27, 1983 |
| 70th | SUZUKI Zenko | 864 | July 17, 1980 - November 27, 1982 |
| 69th | OHIRA Masayoshi | 217 | November 9, 1979 - June 12, 1980 |
| 68th | OHIRA Masayoshi | 338 | December 7, 1978 - November 9, 1979 |
| 67th | FUKUDA Takeo | 714 | December 24, 1976 - December 7, 1978 |
| 66th | MIKI Takeo | 747 | December 9, 1974 - December 24, 1976 |
| 65th | TANAKA Kakuei | 718 | December 22, 1972 - December 9, 1974 |
| 64th | TANAKA Kakuei | 169 | July 7, 1972 - December 22, 1972 |
| 63rd | SATO Eisaku | 906 | January 14, 1970 - July 7, 1972 |
| 62nd | SATO Eisaku | 1,063 | February 17, 1967 - January 14, 1970 |
| 61st | SATO Eisaku | 831 | November 9, 1964 - February 17, 1967 |
| 60th | IKEDA Hayato | 337 | December 9, 1963 - November 9, 1964 |
| 59th | IKEDA Hayato | 1,097 | December 8, 1960 - December 9, 1963 |
| 58th | IKEDA Hayato | 143 | July 19, 1960 - December 8, 1960 |
| 57th | KISHI Nobusuke | 769 | June 12, 1958 - July 19, 1960 |
| 56th | KISHI Nobusuke | 473 | February 25, 1957 - June 12, 1958 |
| 55th | ISHIBASHI Tanzan | 65 | December 23, 1956 - February 25, 1957 |
| 54th | HATOYAMA Ichiro | 398 | November 22, 1955 - December 23, 1956 |
| 53rd | HATOYAMA Ichiro | 249 | March 19, 1955 - November 22, 1955 |
| 52nd | HATOYAMA Ichiro | 100 | December 10, 1954 - March 19, 1955 |
| 51st | YOSHIDA Shigeru | 569 | May 21, 1953 - December 10, 1954 |
| 50th | YOSHIDA Shigeru | 204 | October 30, 1952 - May 21, 1953 |
| 49th | YOSHIDA Shigeru | 1,353 | February 16, 1949 - October 30, 1952 |
| 48th | YOSHIDA Shigeru | 125 | October 15, 1948 - February 16, 1949 |
| 47th | ASHIDA Hitoshi | 220 | March 10, 1948 - October 15, 1948 |
| 46th | KATAYAMA Tetsu | 292 | May 24, 1947 - March 10, 1948 |
| 45th | YOSHIDA Shigeru | 368 | May 22, 1946 - May 24, 1947 |
| 44th | SHIDEHARA Kijyuro | 226 | October 9, 1945 - May 22, 1946 |
| 43rd | Prince HIGASHIKUNI Naruhiko | 54 | August 17, 1945 - October 9, 1945 |
| 42nd | SUZUKI Kantaro | 133 | April 7, 1945 - August 17, 1945 |
| 41st | KOISO Kuniaki | 260 | July 22, 1944 - April 7, 1945 |
| 40th | TOJO Hideki | 1,009 | October 18, 1941 - July 22, 1944 |
| 39th | KONOE Fumimaro | 93 | July 18, 1941 - October 18, 1941 |
| 38th | KONOE Fumimaro | 362 | July 22, 1940 - July 18, 1941 |
| 37th | YONAI Mitsumasa | 189 | January 16, 1940 - July 22, 1940 |
| 36th | ABE Nobuyuki | 140 | August 30, 1939 - January 16, 1940 |
| 35th | HIRANUMA Kiichiro | 238 | January 5, 1939 - August 30, 1939 |
| 34th | KONOE Fumimaro | 581 | June 4, 1937 - January 5, 1939 |
| 33rd | HAYASHI Senjuro | 123 | February 2, 1937 - June 4, 1937 |
| 32nd | HIROTA Koki | 331 | March 9, 1936 - February 2, 1937 |
| 31st | OKADA Keisuke | 611 | July 8, 1934 - March 9, 1936 |
| 30th | SAITO Makoto | 774 | May 26, 1932 - July 8, 1934 |
| 29th | INUKAI Tsuyoshi | 156 | December 13, 1931 - May 16, 1932 |
| 28th | WAKATSUKI Reijiro | 244 | April 14, 1931 - December 13, 1931 |
| 27th | HAMAGUCHI Osachi | 652 | July 2, 1929 - April 14, 1931 |
| 26th | TANAKA Giichi | 805 | April 20, 1927 - July 2, 1929 |
| 25th | WAKATSUKI Reijiro | 446 | January 30, 1926 - April 20, 1927 |
| 24th | KATO Takaaki | 597 | June 11, 1924 - January 28, 1926 |
| 23rd | KIYOURA Keigo | 157 | January 7, 1924 - June 11, 1924 |
| 22nd | YAMAMOTO Gonbe | 128 | September 2, 1923 - January 7, 1924 |
| 21st | KATO Tomosaburo | 440 | June 12, 1922 - August 24, 1923 |
| 20th | TAKAHASHI Korekiyo | 212 | November 13, 1921 - June 12, 1922 |
| 19th | HARA Takashi | 1,133 | September 29, 1918 - November 4, 1921 |
| 18th | TERAUCHI Masatake | 721 | October 9, 1916 - September 29, 1918 |
| 17th | OKUMA Shigenobu | 908 | April 16, 1914 - October 9, 1916 |
| 16th | YAMAMOTO Gonbe | 421 | February 20, 1913 - April 16, 1914 |
| 15th | KATSURA Taro | 62 | December 21, 1912 - February 20, 1913 |
| 14th | SAIONJI Kinmochi | 480 | August 30, 1911 - December 21, 1912 |
| 13rd | KATSURA Taro | 1,143 | July 14, 1908 - August 30, 1911 |
| 12nd | SAIONJI Kinmochi | 920 | January 7, 1906 - July 14, 1908 |
| 11st | KATSURA Taro | 1,681 | June 2, 1901 - January 7, 1906 |
| 10th | ITO Hirobumi | 204 | October 19, 1900 - May 10, 1901 |
| 9th | YAMAGATA Aritomo | 711 | November 8, 1898 - October 19, 1900 |
| 8th | OKUMA Shigenobu | 132 | June 30, 1898 - November 8, 1898 |
| 7th | ITO Hirobumi | 170 | January 12, 1898 - June 30, 1898 |
| 6th | MATSUKATA Masayoshi | 482 | September 18, 1896 - January 12, 1898 |
| 5th | ITO Hirobumi | 1,485 | August 8, 1892 - August 31, 1896 |
| 4th | MATSUKATA Masayoshi | 461 | May 6, 1891 - August 8, 1892 |
| 3rd | YAMAGATA Aritomo | 499 | December 24, 1889 - May |
| 2nd | KURODA Kiyotaka | 544 | April 30, 1888 - October 25, 1889 |
| 1st | ITO Hirobumi | 861 | December 22, 1885 - April 30, 1888 |
Source: Prime Minister’s Office of Japan
Who is Japan’s Current Prime Minister?
Source: BBC
Japan's current Prime Minister is Shigeru Ishiba, who took office on October 1, 2024. He succeeded Fumio Kishida, who served from October 4, 2021, until November 10, 2021.
Early Life
- Birth: Shigeru Ishiba was born on February 4, 1957, in Mizusawa, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.
- Education: He graduated from Keio University in 1980 with a degree in Political Science. Following his graduation, he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs, where he began his career in public service.
Political Career
- Entry into Politics: Ishiba entered politics in 1993 when he was elected to the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He has since been re-elected multiple times.
- Ministerial Roles: Throughout his career, Ishiba has held several important positions, including:
- Minister of Defence (2012-2014): He was the first defence minister to hold the position after Japan's defence policy was revised to allow for collective security.
- Minister for Regional Revitalisation: In this role, he focused on addressing issues related to rural depopulation and economic revitalisation.
Selection as Prime Minister
- Leadership Election: Shigeru Ishiba was elected as president of the LDP on September 27, 2024, after winning a runoff against Sanae Takaichi. His victory came after a series of leadership challenges within the party and amid public dissatisfaction with previous administrations.
- Public Support: His election was characterised by strong public support and a desire for change following scandals that plagued the LDP under former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Key Events and Achievements
- National Security Advocacy: Ishiba has been an outspoken advocate for strengthening Japan's national defence capabilities, particularly in response to regional threats from North Korea and China.
- Economic Policies: He has proposed various strategies to revitalise Japan's economy, focusing on rural development and increasing defence spending.
- Political Resilience: This marks Ishiba's fifth attempt at becoming prime minister, showcasing his determination and commitment to leading Japan despite previous setbacks.
Will Shigeru Ishiba Resign at the End of August and Why?
Source: Politico
According to many Japanese media, it is likely possible that the current prime minister of Japan, i.e., Shigeru Ishiba, is expected to announce his resignation by the end of August. The reason for his resignation follows by the significant low electoral defeat in the recent upper house elections (July 20, 2025), losing their majority.
Additionally, Ishiba's Cabinet approval rating has plummeted to just under 23%, the lowest since he took office in October. Such low public support is often unsustainable for a sitting government. A recent Kyodo News poll revealed that 51.6% of respondents believe Ishiba should resign.
Further, he had initially stated that he would stay to handle crucial tariff negotiations with the United States. With a trade agreement reached on July 23, which reduced the threatened 25% tariff on Japanese cars to 15%, a major hurdle that kept him in office has been cleared. This "paves the way for his possible departure," as many reports suggest.
Though nothing is offically states, most of the sources suggest he will likely make a formal announcement after assessing the trade agreement and after a series of key national events in August conclude.
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