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Favorite emerges in race to replace Abe
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Japan鈥檚 ruling party yesterday kicked off the race to pick Prime Minister Shinzo Abe鈥檚 successor, with his powerful right-hand man Yoshihide Suga commanding an all-but-insurmountable lead.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga, the 71-year-old son of a strawberry farmer, has already secured the support of major factions in the Liberal Democratic Party ahead of its leadership vote on September 14.
But he isn鈥檛 running unchallenged, with a popular former defence minister and the party鈥檚 policy chief standing against him.
Thanks to the LDP鈥檚 solid legislative majority, the race鈥檚 winner is certain to win a parliamentary vote on September 16 and be named the country鈥檚 next prime minister.
The LDP race began after Abe, Japan鈥檚 longest-serving premier, abruptly announced late August that he would resign for health reasons.
There is now speculation that the next prime minister may call a snap election to shore up public support.
But Suga hinted that an immediate general election would be unlikely, saying a new cabinet should make its top priority fighting the pandemic.
鈥淲hat people most expect from the government is to curb infections and regain a secure way of life as soon as possible,鈥 Suga said at a press conference with his contenders.
Representatives for Suga and his rivals 鈥 former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba and party policy chief Fumio Kishida 鈥 formally registered their candidacies yesterday.
Suga said he had decided to run to help avoid a 鈥減olitical vacuum鈥 after Abe鈥檚 departure.
He promised he would prioritize COVID-19 containment while rebuilding Japan鈥檚 economy now in recession.
Ishiba meanwhile pledged a 鈥済reat reset,鈥 and said he would 鈥減our my whole body and soul into regional revitalization.鈥
Kishida said he too would focus on balancing infection measures with kickstarting the economy, and vowed to build a capable team.
The candidates will hold two public debates before the vote, which will poll LDP lawmakers and three party representatives from each of Japan鈥檚 47 regions.
Whoever takes the top office will face a raft of challenges 鈥 from the pandemic and a tanking economy to ensuring the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games can go ahead.
None of the three candidates is seen as offering a policy platform that would differ significantly from Abe鈥檚.
Former banker Ishiba, 63, is popular with the electorate and consistently topped polls before Abe鈥檚 resignation.
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