Japan PM Yoshihide Suga will not be running for re-election of LDP party leadership

Japan PM Suga won’t seek re-election after year in office

TOKYO – Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday (Sept 3) he will not run for his ruling party’s leadership, effectively ending his tenure and throwing wide open the race for the next premier.

Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday (Sept 3) he will not run for his ruling party’s leadership, effectively ending his tenure and throwing wide open the race for the next premier.

The shock decision after just a year in office comes with Mr Suga’s approval ratings at an all-time low over his government’s handling of the response to the pandemic.

“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,” Mr Suga told reporters.

He said he realised that running for election and handling the virus response would require “enormous energy”.

“I came to the realisation that I cannot do both. I had to choose one of them,” he added.

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,” Mr Nikai said.

Suga bows out of party vote, paves way for new Japan PM

Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga won’t run in a ruling party leadership vote this month, paving the way for a new Japanese leader TOKYO — Amid growing criticism of his handling of the pandemic, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday he won’t run for the leadership of the governing party later this month, paving the way for a new Japanese leader after just a year in office.

Suga told reporters that leading Japan’s pandemic response and campaigning to lead his governing Liberal Democratic Party at the same time divided his energies. “I have decided not to run for the party leadership elections, as I would like to focus on coronavirus measures,” Suga told reporters who rushed to his office after the news broke.

“But doing both takes enormous energy and I have decided that I should just choose one or the other,” he said. “As I have repeatedly told people, protecting peple’s lives and health is my responsibility as prime minister, and that’s what I will dedicate myself to.”

LDP has the majority in Parliament, meaning the new prime minister likely will be whoever wins the Sept. 29 party vote.

The official start of the campaign is Sept. 17 and a few potential candidates have said they intend to run.

DPA Notes: Another PM that had an ill-fated PM-ship to have their leadership meeting the wrath of the COVID19 pandemic. The other casualty was the recently stepped down Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin.