In his position as chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga was a continual supporter of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Although he never once publicly expressed a desire to become prime minister himself, he announced his candidacy with a pledge to continue the policies of the Abe administration, and immediately became the favorite.
Suga has overcome hard times to get where he is. Moving from Akita to Tokyo after graduating from high school, he worked at a cardboard box factory in the capital, but quit after several months. He then worked odd jobs to save money for college, and entered Hosei University two years later than the typical freshman.
Upon graduating from Hosei, he was hired as an aide to a Diet member, then, after serving in the Yokohama city assembly, ran for the lower house himself and was elected for the first time in 1996 at age 47.
His ties with Abe deepened as he worked on the issue of North Korea kidnapping Japanese citizens. In the first Abe Cabinet, as he had been elected to the Diet four times, he received his first Cabinet post when he was appointed minister for internal affairs and communication. At that time, he helped establish the furusato nozei system, a tax-deductible donation program to support the revitalization of regional communities.
Suga drew high praise in government circles for his ability to get things done. Known for his meticulous approach to issues, he was able to break down the walls between government ministries and agencies. As chief cabinet secretary, he took control of Kasumigaseki by having authority over personnel issues, and pressed forward such matters as increasing foreign tourism across ministries. At times he invited criticism for being heavy-handed, but he cut off such talk by saying, "I'm confident in my achievements."
Suga regards Seiroku Kajiyama, a former chief cabinet secretary, as his political mentor. He spends his entire day meeting over meals with business leaders, bureaucrats and other notables, gathering information and honing his decision-making skills. While he has belonged to factions within the Liberal Democratic Party, he has been independent of these party groups for over a decade.
Last year, he became known within the younger generation as the one who announced the new Imperial era, earning the endearing nickname "Uncle Reiwa." A teetotaler, pancakes are among his favorite things. He has an abundance of personal connections both inside and out of politics, and still frequently uses an old-style cell phone, with which he politely replies to e-mails.
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