Suga Solidifying Support Among Ldp Lawmakers
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide appears to be solidifying support among lawmakers of the main governing Liberal Democratic Party as the successor to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.
The party will soon choose a new president after Abe announced his intention to resign due to health reasons.
LDP policy chief and former foreign minister Kishida Fumio and former defense minister Ishiba Shigeru threw their hats in the ring on Tuesday.
Kishida said he will put everything on the line for the people and the country. He also said he wants to be a leader who can get people to work together.
He suggested that he puts a priority on addressing economic and other gaps.
Ishiba said it's his responsibility to carry out policies that can win people's understanding and empathy. He stressed the need to revitalize regional communities.
Suga is expected to announce his candidacy on Wednesday, possibly citing the need to respond to the coronavirus outbreak and continue Abe's policies as his reasons for running.
Of the seven LDP factions, four have decided to back Suga, and another is likely to follow suit. Several groups of lawmakers who don't belong to any faction are also supporting him.
This means that Suga has already secured support from more than two-thirds of the party lawmakers.
The party is scaling back its election protocol to ensure a swift change in power, as the country deals with the coronavirus and other pressing issues.
All 394 LDP lawmakers will get a vote, along with three representatives from each prefecture.
To reflect the opinion of its more than one million members across the country, party leadership is urging local chapters to hold preliminary elections.
On Wednesday, the LDP is expected to announce it will hold the election on September 14.
