[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Yoshihide Suga, the Prime Minister of Japan, stated that he has no intention of joining the next cabinet as a minister after resigning from his position as Prime Minister. However, he expressed his intention to run again in the House of Representatives election and maintain his status as a member of the Diet.
According to NHK on the 26th, during a meeting with reporters accompanying him on his visit to the United States the previous day, Prime Minister Suga drew a clear line by saying, "I have absolutely no intention of accepting" if asked to join the new cabinet. However, he added, "I want to continue the policy work that I have been striving for myself."
After recently declaring that he would not run in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election, which is effectively to choose the next Prime Minister, Suga expressed his support for Taro Kono, the Minister in charge of Administrative Reform, who is running in the leadership election. This raised the possibility of him joining the next cabinet, but he stated that he has no such intention. The winner of the LDP leadership election, whose voting and counting will take place on the 29th, will be elected as the 100th Prime Minister of Japan at the extraordinary Diet session convened on the 4th of next month, succeeding Suga.
However, it is known that he intends to continue maintaining his status as a member of the Diet. Earlier, at a press conference on the 9th, when asked whether he would run in his electoral district, Kanagawa 2nd district, in the House of Representatives election expected in November, Suga replied, "I plan to do so." The term of the House of Representatives expires on the 21st of next month.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Suga visited the United States on the 23rd to attend the first face-to-face Quad summit, which was his last meeting schedule during his term, and is returning home today.
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