November 7 According to a report by Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun on the 7th, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said in a speech to the parliament on the 4th that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s remarks on retaining the ability to attack enemy bases were “ineffective”. According to analysis by Japanese media, Abe has frequently appeared in recent days and put pressure on Yoshihide Suga. The friction between the old and new prime ministers has caused many concerns.
According to the report, on September 11, the outgoing Abe issued a “Prime Minister’s Statement” stating that the Liberal Democratic Party should seriously discuss the issue of retaining the ability to attack enemy bases and come up with specific plans within this year. He also said in an interview that this move is not to set limits for successors, but the new cabinet should do its utmost to deepen relevant discussions.
On September 16, Yoshihide Suga became the new prime minister of Japan. However, in his policy speech on October 26, although he stated that he would continue discussions based on Abe’s speech, he did not mention that “to provide specific details this year Program”. On November 4, he made it clear in his speech to Congress that “this statement did not pass a cabinet resolution, and in principle it has no effect on the current cabinet.”
According to the analysis of the report, Yoshihide Suga “ignored” Abe’s talks in order to maintain the relationship with the joint ruling Komeito Party, but his words and deeds have undoubtedly aroused the resentment of Abe and other conservatives in the Liberal Democratic Party. And Abe’s frequent public appearances in recent days seems to express his dissatisfaction with Yoshihide Suga.
A person in charge of the Hosoda faction, the largest faction of Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party, said, “Abe did not name Suga Yoshihide as his successor, but looked at him with some indifference.” An important figure in the Liberal Democratic Party worries that “friction between the old and new prime ministers will inevitably affect the operation of the government and the election of the House of Representatives, and will also damage the image of the government.”
