Shigeru Ishiba

is a Japanese politician. Ishiba is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and of "Heisei-Kenkyukai" (part of the party faction led by Fukushiro Nukaga) until 2011. 
Ishiba was Director General of the Japan Defense Agency under Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi from 2002 to 2004. 
He was Minister of Defense under Yasuo Fukuda from 2007 to 2008 and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries under Tarō Asō from 2008 to 2009. The LDP lost government in 2009, entering Opposition. 
In August 2020, he announced his candidacy for the Liberal Democratic leadership election to replace Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He lost the election on 14 September to Yoshihide Suga, coming in third place.