The Japanese people are not the only ones who are pinning their hopes on Suga in the prolonged fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic stagnation it has caused. The whole world, including 10-member ASEAN, hopes to see Suga guide Japan out of the health and economic crises, as Japan’s recovery will help the ailing global economy to regain its feet.

The new prime minister is little known at the international level, because as the right-hand man of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, Suga devoted his time and energy to domestic affairs. However, Suga, as the lead government spokesperson, often talked about major diplomatic issues, especially China, South and North Korea, as well as Japan’s unpredictable ties with the United States under President Donald Trump.

Suga has an unusual background compared with many of his predecessors, including his immediate predecessor Abe. The 71-year old Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) politician is among only a few of Japan’s political elite to come from a rural family. Suga is also an independent member of the LDP, belonging to no party faction. Suga is a self-made man, and loyal to Abe.

In securing the PM position, Suga won 314 votes in the 465-member House of Representatives and 142 of the 245-member House of Councilors.

Known as a fixer and a troubleshooter, Suga is admired as a master of getting things done. But many say he lacks vision, compared with Abe, who Suga served for eight years as chief Cabinet secretary.

As the world’s third-largest economy after the US and China, Japan plays a very strategic role especially as the engine of economic growth of countries in Southeast Asia, either as a major lender or source of foreign direct investment.

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