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TOKYO: Japan’s top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, has won the backing of the largest faction of the ruling party to become its next leader, public broadcaster NHK reported on Tuesday (September 1), which makes him a strong favorite to become the next prime minister.
Suga, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary and long-time deputy to outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is expected to maintain the political course set by Abe, including the “Abenomics” strategy aimed at reviving the economy and keeping it afloat amid COVID. . 19 pandemic.
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Suga has not publicly announced his candidacy for leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), but has indicated privately that he intends to run, a source told Reuters.
Media reported that he would formally announce his intention to run on Wednesday.
The party leader will almost certainly become prime minister because of his majority in the lower house of parliament. The new leader will replace Abe, who abruptly announced Friday that he would resign for health reasons.
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In a meeting on Tuesday to decide the format of the election, PLD executives agreed to a simplified vote, by party MPs from both houses of parliament and heads of local chapters, said party secretary general Toshihiro Nikai.
The proposal to exclude the votes of rank-and-file members favors Suga, who reportedly now has the support of the party’s most important factions. But a final decision, to be made at a general assembly on Tuesday, could be delayed due to opposition from many party members.
“We must elect a new leader as soon as possible to avoid creating a political vacuum,” Nikai told reporters. “There were no objections to my point of view at the meeting.”
PRESS FOR A BROADER VOTE
On Monday, however, the younger PLD lawmakers met with Nikai to file a demand from more than 140 MPs and around 400 local party lawmakers for a large-scale vote. Several local chapters, including Osaka, have also demanded the same.
“To select the new leader, we must have a party presidential election in a way that listens to a wide range of votes,” said one of the deputies.
Shigeru Ishiba, the race’s main rival, echoed those views, repeating on Tuesday that he was against a limited vote.
“I think that both for democracy and for the party, this is something that should not be,” said the former defense minister on TV Asahi. Ishiba is the most popular among voters among potential candidates, but lacks strong backing in the party hierarchy.
The PLD is expected to hold its leadership vote on September 14.
Another contender is Fumio Kishida, a former foreign minister.
The reported endorsement of the larger Hosoda faction of the PLD for Suga follows media reports on support for the powerful faction led by Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso. LDP heavyweight Nikai is also supporting Suga.
