By The SATimes News Service
Tokyo: Yoshihide Suga, the new leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, was elected as the new Prime Minister to succeed Shinzo Abe on September 16.
A close ally of Abe, the new prime minister is expected to continue his predecessor’s policies.
Abe announced his resignation last month citing ill health.
Suga is well known to Japanese as the voice of their longest-serving government, acting as Abe’s Chief Cabinet Secretary for more than seven years.
At 71, Suga will be the oldest Prime Minister to take office since Kiichi Miyazawa in 1991. His premiership will last through the remainder of Abe’s term as LDP leader until September 2021, Xinhua news agency reported.
In the run-up to his inauguration, Suga said he would continue to promote Abe’s policies, including his “Abenomics” of aggressive monetary easing, fiscal stimulus and structural reforms, to breathe life back into the recession-hit Japanese economy.
Suga will also continue the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, utilizing the 230 trillion yen (2.2 trillion US dollar) package allocated for tackling the disease.
