A close race for the next Prime Minister of Japan

The race for Japanese Prime Minister / Photo EPA-EFE / Eugene Hoshiko / POOL

According to Japanese polls, the race for the next prime minister in that country is too close, in anticipation of next week's elections. It is a rare moment of uncertainty almost a decade after Shinzo Abe became the country's longest-serving prime minister and was replaced last year by his close ally Yoshihide Suga. reports the Guardian.

After Abe announced his resignation in August 2020, for health reasons, the identity of his successor was never questioned. As chief secretary of Abe's cabinet for almost eight years, Suga has proven to be a loyal lieutenant, perfecting the role of spokesperson in his daily meetings with the media.

Suga secured support from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). But after a year in which his management ratings plummeted, largely due to criticism of his handling of the pandemic, as well as his failure to profit from domestic athletes at the Tokyo Olympics, Suga resigned.

Days after the campaign was officially launched, the election became a close race between Taro Kono, the popular health minister, and Fumio Kishida, the former foreign minister.

Although the inclusion of women in the race has rekindled discussions about the under-representation of women in Japanese politics, none of them have enough support to become the country's first female prime minister.

Kishida, 64, who is leading the LDP in this fall's general election, is trying to win over voters, who are still angry over Suga's incompetence and uncertainty, which he has caused in the world's third-largest economy, largely due to a pandemic.

Suga did not withstand the pressure, the Japanese Prime Minister resigns after a year

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