Tokyo — Japan’s new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, said Tuesday that his nation faces its “most severe” regional security situation in the post-WWII era, without naming any specific threats.

“The security environment surrounding our country is the most severe since the end of World War II,” he said in his first press conference after being approved as prime minister by parliament earlier in the day.

Ishiba, 67, is a former defense minister who has previously called for the creation of an Asian NATO to counter China’s rapid military build-up, North Korean missile launches and other security threats.

“With the Japan-US alliance as a foundation, we will expand the circle of friendly and like-minded countries, using diplomacy and defense to realize the peace of Japan and the region,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

He also said he would focus on cybersecurity and the safety of Japanese people abroad and would work to fix a shortage of new troops for Japan’s military.

On the economy, Ishiba — who backs the Bank of Japan’s exit from its maverick ultra-loose policies — said he would broadly continue the work of his predecessor, Fumio Kishida.

“The Japanese economy stands on the brink of whether to emerge from deflation. I will navigate our economy and fiscal policies by prioritizing ending deflation,” he said.

Ishiba, who won a ruling party leadership vote last week, has said he intends to call a general election for October 27 to shore up his mandate.

On Tuesday, he said the public and private sectors will have a shared goal for “female participation in all decision-making scenarios at all organizations.”

However, his own 20-strong cabinet announced earlier in the day includes just two women.
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