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

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.

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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.