Former PM Suga Not to Run in Next Lower House Election

Tokyo, Jan. 16 (Jiji Press)–Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga plans not to run in the next election for the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the country’s parliament, informed sources said Friday. The 77-year-old ruling Liberal Democratic Party member elected from the Kanagawa No. 2 constituency is believed to have decided against seeking re-election in light of his physical condition. Suga holds the record for the longest tenure as Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, at seven years and eight months, serving under then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Suga was Japan’s leader from September 2020 to October 2021. According to Suga’s office, he will speak to reporters on Saturday. He was first elected to the Lower House in 1996, after serving as an assembly member in the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. He has been elected to the chamber 10 times. As a close aide to Abe from the late leader’s first stint as prime minister, Suga worked to introduce the “furusato nozei” hometown donation system and to lower mobile phone fees. He became known as “Reiwa Ojisan (Uncle Reiwa),” after he displayed calligraphy for “Reiwa” at a press conference announcing the name of Japan’s new era in April 2019. During his time as prime minister, Suga struggled with low approval ratings due to difficulties over measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. He stepped down after not seeking re-election as LDP president in September 2021. He threw his weight behind Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, also elected from Kanagawa Prefecture, backing his LDP leadership bids in 2024 and 2025. According to informed sources, Shobun Nitta, who served as Suga’s secretary for political affairs during his time as prime minister, is expected to succeed him in the Kanagawa No. 2 constituency. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]