Japanese cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga (71) was elected the new leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Monday. He succeeds former party leader Shinzo Abe, which means that Suga’s path to premiership is as good as free.
The current ruling party of Abe and Suga has a majority in parliament. This makes it almost certain that Suga will also receive the most votes there on Wednesday.
Suga succeeds Abe, who has announced his resignation as prime minister due to health problems. Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, has a chronic disease ulcerative colitis, a persistent inflammation of the intestines.
Last week hinted Suga already on early elections. If he wins it, he can serve a full term of three years.
Suga wants to stick to current policy
Suga says she wants to stick to Abe’s approach, including the distinctive monetary policy. He also has to deal with the aging problem and the deteriorating economy in the country. The Japanese economy is suffering from the corona pandemic.
The son of a strawberry farmer from northern Japan was the cabinet secretary since 2012. He thus held a key position and acted as Abe’s main government spokesman. Suga was instrumental in coordinating Japanese government policy.
He received support from most LDP members in the elections and won from former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, among others.
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