Ex-Japan PM Suga Trying to Exert Influence in LDP

   Tokyo, Aug. 13 (Jiji Press)--Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, also vice president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is considering ways to increase his presence ahead of an extraordinary parliamentary session in autumn.
   "We must rebuild our party," Suga stressed at a meeting with the two other former prime ministers of Taro Aso and Fumio Kishida as well as incumbent Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on July 23 in the wake of the LDP's stunning defeat in the election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament.
   Aso urged Ishiba, also current LDP chief, to resign, saying the party will not be able to win elections under his leadership. The Ishiba-led ruling coalition has already lost its majority in the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber.
   But Suga did not show his explicit opposition to Ishiba's continued leadership at the meeting. Later, he told people around him that the party "should give consideration to the social atmosphere."
   Since the Upper House election loss, mainly LDP members who had belonged to a now-defunct intraparty faction once led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have stepped up calls for Ishiba's resignation. On the other hand, opinion surveys by media organizations have found that many people want him to stay in power.

(2025/08/13-19:11)