Suga To Announce Candidacy For Ldp Leader


Suga to announce candidacy for LDP leader

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide is likely to officially announce his candidacy to succeed Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on Wednesday.

Suga is expected to explain to reporters why he plans to run in the leadership election for the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Support for Suga is widening among LDP members. They include the party's largest faction, which Abe is from. It's led by former Chief Cabinet Secretary Hosoda Hiroyuki.

The second largest faction led by Finance Minister Aso Taro and the fourth largest headed by LDP Secretary-General Nikai Toshihiro have also confirmed that they will endorse Suga.

Some groups of legislators who don't belong to any faction are also expected to back Suga.

Based on his experience serving the Abe administration for 7 years and 8 months, Suga is expected to tell reporters that the current policies should be continued and the novel coronavirus thoroughly dealt with.