Giving his support for Suga, Japan's Defense Minister, Taro Kono, will not hesitate if he is asked to be the next PM one day. (Image via The Straits Times)

Taro Kono: I support Suga, but I see myself as PM, too

On Thursday, Japan's Defense Minister, Taro Kono, gave his full support for the Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, running for the position as the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on 14 September and as the next Prime Minister (PM) of Japan. On 28 August, Shinzo Abe submitted his resignation from the seat due to a health condition.

On a side note, Kono hinted that he also saw himself as a PM in the future while addressing the balancing act that needs to be done by the PM: flattening the curve of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemics and reviving Japan's economy simultaneously.

Previously, Kono made clear of his intention to run for the PM seat as well as the Japanese media also rooted for him. However, when Suga stated on Wednesday that he is also running for it, Kono moved out of the way. Moreover, Suga also gathered the votes from fractions, including one which Kono is a member of. Therefore, Suga took a headstart in the race for the PM's seat.

To prevent a vacuum of power, LDP's leadership election is set to be held on 14 September and the winner of the election is assured to become the next PM of Japan as LDP is holding the majority in the parliament.

Source: https://bit.ly/2Z6yuq2