Taro Kono, the Minister of Digital Affairs from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) (61), who has served nine terms in the Kanagawa 15th District of the House of Representatives, officially announced his candidacy for the party’s presidential election (scheduled to be announced on September 12 and voted on the 27th) during a press conference held in the National Diet on the 26th.
Kono has been at the center of controversy for distributing documents that encourage reporting medical institutions that do not accept My Number health insurance cards to promote the use of these cards. During the press conference, he analyzed that the popularity among the public has declined due to the push for digitalization but expressed his determination to work on the promotion of My Number cards as Prime Minister. (Digital Editorial Department)
Kono Taro announcing his candidacy for the LDP presidential election at the National Diet
◆ Kono compared to Ishiba and Koizumi in terms of “popularity”
“In a public opinion poll regarding who is suitable as the next LDP president, while Shigeru Ishiba and Shinjiro Koizumi garnered over 20%, Kono is at 7.7%. I would like to hear your thoughts on this.”
Responding to the results presented by a reporter from Fuji TV during the conference, Kono chuckled and said, “There was a time in the past when public opinion polls showed ‘Taro Kono at number one’. Unfortunately, the numbers have dropped a bit, but I think various factors, including the advancement of digitalization, are influencing this. I would like to work hard to gain public support.”
◆ Proud of his achievements as a “reformer”
Kono emphasized, “I have previously done various things such as abolishing the need for seals, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, ride-sharing regulations, and the My Number card. In Kasumigaseki, I have also advocated for the payment of overtime wages. There have been criticisms, but I have pushed various matters forward.”
“I received various criticisms such as ‘vaccines are lacking’, ‘I don’t understand how to use the My Number card’, and ‘what are you going to do about the ride-sharing and taxi industries?’, but I have managed to advance matters to some extent. It’s not just about verbally saying ‘reform’, but it is about demonstrating the achievements that have been built up through reform. I believe that this will become a critical factor in the presidential election,” he highlighted the differences in achievements compared to other candidates.
◆ “I want to take comprehensive command of digitalization”
Kono Digital Minister urges visitors to use My Number health insurance cards at a hospital he visited in Minato, Tokyo, in November 2023
A reporter asked, “How do you evaluate your own efforts as a Digital Minister, and did you have any thoughts on embracing My Number card policies in your position as Digital Minister?”
In response, Kono stated, “I take pride in the fact that the spread of My Number cards and the integration of My Number card functions into smartphones has succeeded to a considerable extent beyond initial expectations.”
He continued, “Digitalization is necessary in all aspects of society and the world, so the Digital Agency and the Digital Minister need to robustly support this from a technological standpoint. As Prime Minister, I want to take comprehensive command on how, while utilizing digital technology, we can create a warm and supportive society in Japan amid diminishing population and advancing depopulation in some areas.”