As almost 80% of votes will go to Suga on 14 September, Suga is drawing closer to PM's seat. (Image via Tass)

Kyodo: Almost 80% of LDP members back Suga already

According to a poll on Wednesday by Kyodo, about four of five lawmakers in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) already pledged their supports for the frontrunner and Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, to take over the LDP's leadership. The finding strengthens Suga's stance to run for Prime Minister's seat after the resignation of Shinzo Abe due to his health condition in late August.

Kyodo recorded that from 394 LDP's lawmakers, 304 (77%) root for Suga, having served as the Chief Cabinet Secretary and Abe's right-hand man since the beginning of his tenure in 2012. Moreover, Suga pledged to carry on "Abenomics" policies in reviving Japan's economy post-COVID-19. Outside LDP, Suga had secured five from seven factions

On Monday next week (14/9), LDP is holding an election for its leader. The leader of the LDP is certain to become the next PM of Japan due to the LDP's dominance in the Parliament. After being the leader of the LDP, the Diet's extraordinary session will appoint LDP's leader as the next PM.

The other two candidates competing with Suga are former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba. As Suga seems to be the best candidate, Kishida and Ishiba are racing for the second best. Kishida is leading with 53 votes including 47 from his own faction, against Ishiba with 27 including 19 from his own faction.

During a debate on Wednesday, Suga, Kishida, and Ishiba stated that they all will do more for women's empowerment in Japan, from home to political grounds, as an effort to boost the crunching labor force and graying population. Sitting on the 121st from 153 countries according to the World Economic Forum, the lack of women in Japanese government signals that Japan has not done its best to address gender equality for all opportunities. For example, from 20 members of Abe's cabinet, only three are women.

Source: https://bit.ly/33kXueC