Japan's likely next prime minister selected in ruling party vote

Peter Weber, The Week US's avatar
By
Published
Shinzo Abe and his successor, Yoshihide Suga
(Image credit: Eugene Hoshiko/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party selected Yoshihide Suga as party leader on Monday, virtually assuring that he will be elected prime minister Wednesday in a parliamentary vote. Suga is chief Cabinet secretary and right-hand man to outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who announced his resignation last month for health reasons. Suga received 377 votes in the party election versus a combined 157 for his two competitors, former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Suga is expected to continue Abe's polices, which he helped promote with an iron fist. He has said his top priorities will be containing the COVID-19 pandemic and reviving the economy.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up
Explore More
Peter Weber, The Week US
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.