The longest-serving prime minister in the history of Japan was Shinzo Abe. Abe stepped down from the post, along with that of president of his political party, last year. The reason was health-related. Marking the second time Abe stepped down as prime minister for health reasons.
In this instance, Yoshihide f was selected to succeed him as prime minister and as party president. Suga's tenure has been brief but tumultuous. And seems set to be over soon.
Will not compete in upcoming party leadership election
Yoshihide Suga is the current head of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party.
Although the name might suggest otherwise, it's actually the country's top conservative political party. The party is the biggest in both houses of Japan's parliament, the National Diet. Effectively meaning that the party's president becomes the country's prime minister.
The party is set to hold a leadership election on September 29, but Suga will not be a candidate in it. Meaning that, barring a bizarre twist, he's also giving up the position of prime minister. Japan's next general election is also slated to take place before the end of this year.
Suga's popularity had taken a major hit over the last several months. Within his own party and beyond. Much of it due to his apparent mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At least two candidates have officially declared that they're in the running for the party's presidency. They being Fumio Kishida and Sanae Takaichi. Both had served in a number of Cabinet in the past. In Takaichi's case, all of them were under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. For Kishida, it was during the tenures of Abe and of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.
Other Liberal Democratic Party members have been considered potential candidates. Including Taro Kono, who has been serving as minister for administrative reform & regulatory reform.
Suga had been a key Cabinet official for Abe
Yoshihide Suga is a native of what is now Yuzawa, previously known as Ogachi. It's located in the northern region of Honshu, Japan's largest island.
His family has a background in strawberry farming. He would eventually go on to work for a cardboard factory in Tokyo. In addition, he earned a law degree from Hosei University, also in Tokyo.
Eventually, Suga became a staffer for noted politician Hikosaburo Okonogi. Okonogi's son, Hachiro, has also become a prominent politician and a close associate of Suga's.
Suga began his career in elected politics as a member of the Yokohama City Council. He was first elected to the Diet in 1996. Later, he was senior vice minister for internal affairs and communications for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. In 2006, Prime Minister Abe promoted him to minister. Abe later made Suga his chief cabinet secretary in 2012.
