Tokyo: The Japanese Minister responsible for Covid-19 vaccination is seen as the most suitable candidate to become the next minister, while a former minister of female internal affairs has secured support for his offer for the top work, the media reported on Sundays.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced on Friday that he resigned, threw a spotlight in the party’s leadership election on September 29, with a winner who took over as prime minister.
Kyodo news agency said almost a third of respondents to telephone polls conducted this weekend said the minister responsible for vaccination, Taro Kono, was best to replace Suga as a premier.
Kono has not confirmed his intention to seek the leadership of ruling the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), told reporters only that he wanted to consult a party colleague before deciding.
But the TBS announcer reported on Friday, without quoting the source, that Kono intends to run in a wide open race.
Kono received an increase in encouragement on Saturday when Nippon news networks reported that Suga would support him to replace him if he ran.
Kono was named 31.9% of respondents in Kyodo polls as the most suitable person to replace Suga, lagging behind by former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba with 26.6%, and former Fumi Minister Fumio Kishida with 18.8%.
Kishida, who has thrown his hat above the ring for the LDP race, said on Sunday that the debate about the funding of the economic stimulus steps that had been proposed had to wait until after the general election later this year.
Former Interior Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to be one of two women who hope to become the first Japanese female minister.
He has secured support from 20 LDP parliamentarians needed to run in party leadership competitions, NHK public broadcasters said.
Takaichi has received encouragement by winning the support of the old predecessor Suga Shinzo Abe, the media reported on Saturday.
Another woman who wants to run in a race is Seiko Noda, former minister of other internal affairs, who also holds a portfolio for women’s empowerment.
He wants to run because the LDP presidency in 2015 but falls short of 20 supporters that need to be done.