Yoshihide Suga will be the new Prime Minister of Japan

(PTI) Tokyo, Ta. Monday, September 14, 2020

Yoshihide Suga will replace Shinzo Abe as Japan's prime minister. Last month, Shinzo Abe announced his resignation as prime minister for health reasons. The search for his successor has continued ever since. However, Suga's official announcement will be made at a party meeting on Wednesday.

His name is now almost certain. He has been the Chief Cabinet Secretary in Shinzo Abe's government for the past eight years. Suga is Abe's trusted leader and he will pursue Abe's policy. So the closeness in India-Japan relations over the last decade will not be adversely affected.

Born in 1948, Suga's family farmed strawberries. He has, however, been active in Japanese politics since college. He has been a senior minister in the Japanese cabinet since 2005. He is the first leader who does not come from a political background or a leader's family.

He is also the president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Japan. He received 377 votes out of 534 during the party's elections. That means he has been elected prime minister by a majority.

One year later, in September 2021, Japan has parliamentary elections. Until then, Suga will remain prime minister. He has undertaken a number of complex tasks in the last eight years as Chief Cabinet Secretary. So it is no surprise that he was selected for the post.