Japan's Yoshihide Suga signals possibility of calling snap election: Report

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga reportedly signalled possibility of calling snap election if he were to become country’s next Prime Minister. Suga is a former longtime aide to PM Shinzo Abe and he h discreetly wanted to opt for leership role for ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). As per reports, he is widely expected to win LDP leership election on September 14, which is a date set after Abe’s decision to step down last month due to his health conditions. 

According to a local Japanese newspaper, Suga reportedly said that views of pandemic experts were important in judging wher COVID-19 was slowing down eugh for next PM to call a snap election. He said that re’s change to his stance as a chief cabinet minister that what public wants from government most is to focus on measures to deal with coronavirus pandemic. But PM has right to dissolve parliament and call a snap election, he ded. Suga even said that if next premier decides to call one, that should be case. If t, it won’t happen, he said. 

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While he anunced his candidacy last week, he even stressed Japan’s resolve to hold next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games despite challenges caused by unprecedented coronavirus pandemic. Suga said that he would like to contain outbreak and make Olympics happen. re are various, extraordinary merits for Japan to host Games, he said. 

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Opinion polls show Suga’s ‘virtual le’ 

Meanwhile, ever since news of Suga calling a snap election upon becoming PM surfaced, opinion polls reportedly showed a jump in voter approval of Suga and of Abe’s achievements. LDP leership race among Suga and two rivals - former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba and ex-foreign minister Fumio Kishida - is set to kick off formally on Tuesday. However, it was reported that Suga, who has been chief cabinet secretary since December 2012, has alrey locked in support from most of party’s factions. 

As per reports, Suga is expected to pursue his boss’ signature ‘Abemics’ policies of hyper-easy monetary policy and government spending as Japan grapples with twin challenges of a coronavirus outbreak and reviving virus-hit ecomy. 71-year-old is also expected to confront a range of geopolitical challenges including building ties with winner of US presidential election and tensions with China over its maritime assertiveness. 

(Im: @sugawriter/Twitter) 

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