Suga set to take office as Japan's next PM

Suga set to take office as Japan's next PM

Yoshihide Suga, the newly-elected ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader, is set to take office as the new Prime Minister of Japan on Wednesday.

The cabinet of Japan's outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resigned en masse, ahead of parliament, marking an end to Abe's record-long tenure of nearly eight years, reports Xinhua.

Abe said he had given his all during his time as the national leader.

"I’ve spent every day putting my all into the economic recovery and diplomacy to protect Japan's interests," Abe told reporters at the prime minister's office.

"It’s my honor to have been able to work on a range of issues along with people during this time. I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart," the outgoing leader said.

Yoshihide Suga is now set to take office as Japan's new prime minister later on Wednesday after he is selected at an extraordinary Diet session.

Along with their junior coalition Komeito ally, the LDP dominates in both chambers of Japan's bicameral parliament and Suga will be certain to be chosen to be the next prime minister.

Suga's premiership will last through the remainder of Abe's term as the LDP leader until September, 2021.

In the run-up to his inauguration, Suga said he would continue to promote Abe's policies, including his "Abenomics" of aggressive monetary easing, fiscal stimulus and structural reforms, to breathe life back into the recession-hit Japanese economy.

Suga will also continue the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing the 230 trillion yen (2.2 trillion U.S. dollars) package allocated for tackling the COVID-19 outbreak.

Later in the day, Suga will announce the members of his new cabinet before being formally inaugurated at a ceremony at the Imperial Palace.

mj/