Japanese LDP Secretary-General Nikai: "Support Suga's Re-election... High Chance of Re-election"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of the Nikai faction, a major faction of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), announced his support for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's reappointment.

According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK on the 3rd, Secretary-General Nikai said at a press conference, "Since Prime Minister Suga is working very hard, it is difficult to find a reason to change the party president immediately." He added, "Rather, the opinion that 'we want him to continue properly' seems strong both among the public and within the party," and "At present, there is no prospect of multiple candidates stepping forward, and the incumbent is very likely to be re-elected."

Earlier, when former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resigned mid-term last August due to health reasons, Secretary-General Nikai was the first to support Prime Minister Suga, playing the role of a 'kingmaker.'

However, the dissolution of the House of Representatives around September and the general election results remain variables. Prime Minister Suga has already suffered defeats in the April by-elections for the House of Representatives and House of Councillors, as well as in the July Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election. If the LDP's seats significantly decrease in the general election, public opinion for a change with the sentiment of 'Suga is not acceptable' is bound to rise.

In a public opinion poll by Jiji Press last month regarding Prime Minister Suga's term, 49.4% responded that they would prefer him to serve only until the end of his LDP presidency term in September this year and then step down, while 17.3% said they wanted him to resign immediately.