[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The price of a book written eight years ago by Yoshihide Suga, Chief Cabinet Secretary and the leading candidate to succeed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is soaring.
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 8th, the selling price of Suga's book, "The Resolve of a Politician: Move the Bureaucrats," published in March 2012, rose to about 100,000 yen (approximately 1.1 million won) on Amazon Japan as of the afternoon of the previous day. Considering the list price was 1,300 yen, the asking price has increased about 80 times.
In this book, Suga introduced policies he promoted as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications and discussed politics that skillfully manage bureaucrats. Known to adopt the motto "Always act decisively, and sometimes be ruthless" as a politician, Suga frequently quoted phrases from Machiavelli's The Prince, such as "A weak country is always indecisive."
At a regular briefing the previous day, upon hearing the news of his book's price increase, Suga reportedly gave a wry smile saying, "I didn't know it was that high," according to Yomiuri. He also said, "I started my political activities without any regional or blood ties. I am grateful that many people understand this."
Yomiuri reported that the rising price of the book reflects the strong likelihood of his election in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election to choose Japan's new prime minister. The LDP presidential election was announced on the day and voting and counting will take place on the 14th. The elected president will become Japan's prime minister at the extraordinary Diet session on the 16th. Suga is said to have secured 70% support with backing from major factions within the LDP, and is expected to easily defeat his rivals, LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Fumio Kishida and former Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, to win the election.
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