Japan:top politician Taro Kono likely to replace Yoshihide Suga as PM

In a significant political development in Japan, a top politician in country's ruling party Taro Kono is all set to replace Yoshihide Suga as the Prime Minister. The move comes after another top contender Shigeru Ishiba, has opted not to stand in the race for the Prime Minister's post and is considering supporting Taro Kono. He is currently the minister in charge of Japan's vaccination drive, is considered a leading contender to replace Suga after a surprise announcement this month that he would not seek to stay on in the post.The vote to elect New Prime Minister will be held on the 29th of September.

Kono is a seasoned politician with a lot of experience. In August of 2017, then prime minister Shinzo Abe named Kono as the foreign minister, replacing Fumio Kishida, who had served in that role since 2012 and had rarely publicly disagreed with Abe. He also served as defense minister in the Abe government from 2019 to 2020. Kono enjoys mass popularity among the voters in Japan. Taro Kono has long been viewed as a lone wolf in Japanese politics. His aloofness has always been an issue that has left many not taking him seriously.