Japan PM Suga to back vaccine minister Kono in LDP leadership race
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Earlier, domestic media had reported that Suga was to call a snap election but Suga had said he had no plans to do so
Outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will back the popular minister in charge of Japan's vaccination rollout, Taro Kono, for the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership race this month, reported Nippon News Network reported on Saturday.
The leader of the ruling party will replace Suga as the prime minister.
This comes in as Suga has announced that he will not run for re-election as party leader in a vote this month.
Earlier, domestic media had reported that Suga was to call a snap election but Suga had said he had no plans to do so.
Suga was struggling to shore up support and attract high-profile backers ahead of a leadership contest and a general election.
Former foreign minister Fumio Kishida has already thrown his hat in the ring, while several others have voiced interest in running in the race.
Kishida said on Saturday he would leave a national sales tax at its 10 per cent rate if elected as premier.
"I'm not thinking of touching the sales tax for the time being," Kishida told a Nippon News Network programme. "We then must consider Japan's finances from the standpoint of how to make use of the fruit of economic growth."