"Even So, the Prime Minister Is a Lonely Gourmet"… Bitter Criticism from Within Japan

Prime Minister Ishiba Attends Only 9 Company Dinners in 2 Months
"Prime Minister a Lonely Gourmet" Concerns Arise

Japan is known as the "country of eating alone." Most restaurants have partitions to accommodate solo diners, and each person is often provided with their own grill for cooking meat.

However, the Japanese political world seems to criticize the "prime minister who eats alone." Since taking office in September as the successor to former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has raised concerns for having a low number of "social dinners."

Japan is a country familiar with the solo dining culture. A scene from the popular Japanese drama "Kodoku no Gourmet." Screenshot from Dorama Korea YouTube channel.

On the 1st (local time), the Sankei Shimbun of Japan released an "Ishiba Diary" marking two months since the formation of the Ishiba Cabinet. This special report summarizes Prime Minister Ishiba's activities over the past two months, with the most notable data being the "number of social dinners held by prime ministers after taking office."

According to the media, in Japanese politics, prime ministers have diligently held social dinners with fellow politicians after the launch of new cabinets. For example, former Prime Minister Abe held 31 social dinners in the first two months, former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga arranged as many as 68 dinners, and former Prime Minister Kishida held 10 dinners amid a turbulent situation. However, Prime Minister Ishiba has held only 9 social dinners.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is entering a hotel in Lima, Peru, on the 16th of last month (local time) for the Korea-Japan summit. Photo by Yonhap News

The media compared Prime Minister Ishiba to the "Solitary Gourmet." The Solitary Gourmet is a Japanese drama popular both domestically and internationally, depicting a middle-aged salaryman wandering the country and enjoying meals alone. The media also pointed out that "(Ishiba) Prime Minister needs to graduate from being a 'solitary gourmet' in the future."

The obsession of Japanese media with the "number of social dinners held by the prime minister" stems from Japan's unique political culture. In Japan's parliamentary system, the party takes precedence over the prime minister, and the prime minister's real influence comes from factions within the party. Therefore, in the first few months after forming a cabinet, the prime minister must meet with politicians from various factions and people from all walks of life to "solidify their base" to maintain a stable political situation going forward.

In this regard, Hiroshi Shiratori, a political expert and professor at Hosei University Graduate School, explained, "In Japan, politicians' social dinners are called 'geisha house politics' or 'food politics' and are criticized, but in some sense, they are important occasions for communication among politicians."

The scene from the dinner gathering of the late former Prime Minister Abe in 2018. Prominent figures from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including former Prime Minister Kishida, attended. In Japan, where factional politics are well-developed, politicians' dinner gatherings hold significant importance, often referred to as "yotei politics." Photo by Yonhap News

The Sankei Shimbun also pointed out that previous prime ministers thoroughly solidified their bases. The media emphasized, "Although there are critical opinions about politicians' social dinners, past prime ministers have used these gatherings as places to gain party support and policy hints." It added, "Former Prime Minister Abe spent time with top figures from politics, the economy, and the media by holding 31 social dinners in the first two months after returning as prime minister."

The media noted, "Former Prime Minister Kishida's number of social dinners resembles that of Prime Minister Ishiba," but also pointed out, "The difference between the two is that Kishida invited a large number of 20 members of parliament to these dinners."

It further remarked, "It is said that even before taking office, (Ishiba) was often seen dining alone with a book in one hand at the members' cafeteria," and questioned, "Will he be able to graduate from his solitary gourmet lifestyle and promote party harmony through broader social dinners with others?"