Yoshihide Suga is set to become the next Prime Minister of Japan after winning 377 votes out of 534 votes cast, and 535 possible votes, in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) election by the party’s members of parliament and representatives of its 47 local chapters.

Last month, Japan’s longest-serving premier Shinzo Abe stepped down from the PM's post citing ill health as the reason. Suga (71), has been Abe's loyal deputy for years. Although he served his years as a shadow power in Japanese politics, his decisive victory in a party election demonstrated his arduous political ability.

According to a biography by Isao Mori, Suga’s father told him to work on the family strawberry farm, but he decided to move to Tokyo at a young age. He first started working with a cardboard company, and later drove turret trucks at the old Tsukiji fish market, before joining Hosei University.

In 1987 Suga was elected to his first office as a municipal assembly member in Yokohama outside Tokyo. He was a backer of Abe, motivating him to stand for a second term despite his "not so impressive" first run at office in 1996.

Eventually, when Abe rose to power in 2012, he selected Suga as the chief cabinet secretary, acting as Abe's spokesperson, coordinating policies and keeping bureaucrats in line. While accepting the party's nomination as a representative leader, Suga said, "I, with this background, was able to become the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party with all its history and tradition. I will devote the whole of myself to Japan and the Japanese people."

Suga emerges as an underdog as he managed to keep a low profile. He became better known as "Uncle Reiwa", when he was the one to unveil the name of the new era, Reiwa, a historical moment that marked the ascent of the new emperor. In a recent interview, Suga revealed that he starts his day with 100 sit-ups and repeats the same in the evening. He added that he has a soft corner for pancakes.

Suga is focused on taking Abe’s signature economic formula, better known as Abenomics, integrating easy monetary policy, government spending and structural reform of industries such as agriculture.

With global turbulence from the coronavirus pandemic and rising geopolitical threats in Asia, a leader who set the course for the country is just what Japan needs at the moment.

First Published:Sept 14, 2020 10:19 PM IST