Yoshihide Suga elected as new Japan PM

Yoshihide Suga was elected as Japan’s new Prime Minister today. Suga is the new leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the 99th Premier in the country.

Suga will succeed Shinzo Abe in an extraordinary parliamentary session.

The political transition comes after Abe Shinzo's surprise announcement last month, that he would step down due to health issues. Suga won a commanding victory in Monday's vote for the leader of the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), reports NHK.

He's well known to the Japanese as the voice of their longest-serving government, acting as Abe's Chief Cabinet Secretary for more than seven years.

At the age of 71, Suga will be the oldest Prime Minister to take office since Kiichi Miyazawa in 1991. His premiership will last through the remainder of Abe's term as LDP leader until September 2021.

Later in the day, Suga will announce the members of his new cabinet during a ceremony at the Imperial Palace.

In the run-up to his inauguration, Suga said he would continue to promote Abe's policies, including "Abenomics" of aggressive monetary easing, fiscal stimulus and structural reforms, to breathe life back into the recession-hit economy. He will continue the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and will utilise the funds allocated for tackling the infection..