Japan has appointed Yoshihide Suga as its latest Prime Minister.
Yoshihide Suga Sworn In as Japan's Prime Minister
Yoshihide Suga, a career politician from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Japan on Wednesday, September 16th, 2020. The inauguration ceremony took place at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, with the Emperor of Japan, Naruhito, administering the oath of office.
Suga's election as Prime Minister marks the continuation of the LDP's leadership, following the resignation of Shinzo Abe due to health reasons. The election in the lower house of parliament saw 314 out of 465 members voting for Suga.
Suga's first official act as Prime Minister was to deliver a policy speech to the Diet, Japan's parliament. His speech focused on economic recovery, COVID-19 response, and social welfare reforms. The new Prime Minister also appointed his cabinet on the same day, with several key positions going to close allies and experienced politicians.
Notably, Suga's cabinet includes the first female Defense Minister, Nobuo Kishi, and the first female Finance Minister, Taro Aso's daughter, Yuri Kawanaka. The appointment of these women reflects a generational shift within the LDP.
Suga's government aims to maintain a close relationship with the United States, while also strengthening ties with other countries in the region. Taro Kono was appointed as the Foreign Minister, while Yasutoshi Nishimura was appointed as the Minister in charge of the COVID-19 response.
Yoshihide Suga was born on December 6, 1948, in Ogachi, Akita prefecture. He grew up in a rural farming family but moved to Tokyo for university, graduating with a law degree from Hosei University in 1973. Suga began his political career in 1975 as a secretary to an LDP Diet member. He gradually rose through the ranks, obtaining his first cabinet-level role in 2005 as senior vice-minister for internal affairs and communications under Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro.
Suga is noted for his long tenure behind the scenes within the LDP before becoming party leader and prime minister. After serving as Prime Minister, he decided not to run for re-election as LDP leader in late 2021, and Fumio Kishida succeeded him. Post-premiership, he remains active in politics, including engagement in Japan-South Korea diplomatic relations.
In summary, Yoshihide Suga is a career politician from the LDP with a background rooted in grassroots politics and bureaucratic experience, who rose from municipal roles to lead Japan as prime minister for about a year following Shinzo Abe's tenure.
Other political figures were appointed to key positions in Suga's cabinet, including Taro Kono as Foreign Minister and Yasutoshi Nishimura as Minister in charge of the COVID-19 response. The general news following Suga's swearing-in focused on his policy-and-legislation agenda, particularly his focus on economic recovery, COVID-19 response, and social welfare reforms.
