As the expiration of the Bank of Japan governor’s term approaches, work is progressing on a list of recommendations for candidates to become the next governor. However, concern over Prime Minister’s Office-led appointments is growing within the Bank of Japan and the Ministry of Finance, along with views that submitting the list would be futile.
Bank of Japan Governor Ueda Kazuo (植田 和男) will complete his term in April 2028. The selection process for candidates to become the next governor is expected to intensify next year, and concern over Prime Minister’s Office-led appointments is spreading within the Bank of Japan and the Ministry of Finance.
At the Ministry of Finance, Budget Bureau Deputy Director-General Ichimatsu Jun (一松 旬), who is regarded as a candidate for future administrative vice-minister, is reportedly changing from the career track to director-general of Tokyo Customs, and the move has been described as a demotion-type personnel decision.
Against the background of the Takaichi administration’s criticism of interest-rate hikes, the possibility of personnel decisions aimed at eliminating opposing forces has been raised. Views are also spreading within the Bank of Japan and the Ministry of Finance that submitting a list of recommendations would be futile.
The governor of the Bank of Japan is appointed by the Cabinet with the consent of both houses of the Diet. The incumbent, Governor Ueda Kazuo (植田 和男), is the first governor since the end of World War II to have an academic economics background. It is customary for the Bank of Japan and the Ministry of Finance to prepare a list of candidates when selecting the governor.
(The full article has not been published, so no additional official information is available.)