Abe's aide in government tipped to join race for top job

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will join the race to succeed his boss Shinzo Abe as prime minister, local media reported on Sunday, as the competition heats up to succeed Japan’s longest-serving leader.

Suga, a longtime lieutenant of Abe’s in a key supporting role, had denied interest in the top job but attracted attention with a series of interviews to news organizations, in the days before Abe’s abrupt resignation for health reasons.

A Suga government would extend the fiscal and monetary stimulus that defined Abe’s nearly eight years in office.

Abe’s announcement on Friday, citing a worsening of a chronic illness, set the stage for a leadership election within his Liberal Democratic Party.

Suga decided to join the LDP race judging that he should play a leading role, given expectations for his ability to manage crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Japan’s deepest postwar economic dive, Kyodo news agency said, citing an unnamed source.

Suga would join such candidates as former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 39, the son of former Premier Junichiro Koizumi and considered a future premier, has decided not to run, but he would back Defense Minister Taro Kono if he joins the race, NHK said.

Former Internal Affairs Minister Seiko Noda and former Defense Minister Tomomi Inada, who is known as a fiscal hawk, are interested in seeking to become Japan’s first female premier, media reported.

Suga was chosen by Abe in 2012 for the pivotal role of chief cabinet secretary, acting as top government spokesman, coordinating policies and riding herd on bureaucrats.

“I’m thinking of running in the LDP leadership race. I’d like you to support me,” Suga told LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai in a secret meeting on Saturday, TV Tokyo reported.

Nikai’s faction will likely support Suga if he runs, said Takeo Kawamura, a senior faction official.

LDP heavyweights aim to hold a slimmed-down leadership contest around September 13 to 15, public broadcaster NHK said on Sunday.