Japan PM Suga to step down after year in office

TOKYO: Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday he will not run in his ruling party’s upcoming leadership vote, throwing open the race for the next premier of the world’s third largest economy.

The shock decision after just a year in office comes with Suga’s approval ratings at an all-time low over his government’s pandemic response.And it suggests a possible return to political turbulence for Japan, which regularly cycled through prime ministers before the lengthy tenure of Suga’s predecessor Shinzo Abe.

“In one year since I became prime minister, I have poured all of my strength into dealing with the various problems facing the country, with anti-coronavirus measures at the forefront,” Suga told reporters.

He said he realised that running for election and handling virus policies would require “enormous energy”, adding: “I came to the realisation that I cannot do both. I had to choose one of them”.

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secretary general Toshihiro Nikai said he was “surprised” by Suga’s decision not to stand in the September 29 leadership race. “It’s truly regrettable. He did his best,” Nikai said. Suga had dropped no hints of his plans to leave office before contesting his first general election, having replaced Abe who resigned for health reasons.

He had been widely expected to seek re-election as LDP leader, with most speculation surrounding only how soon after that he would call a general election.

The election must be called by late October and held by the following month. The LDP is expected to remain in power, though some members feared losing seats due to Suga’s unpopularity.