Japan's ruling party backs Suga as next PM

Japan's top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, has won the backing of the ruling party's largest faction to become the country's next leader.

Gloria Tso reports.

Japan's top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga is now a strong front-runner to become the country's next leader after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced last Friday that he would resign due to health issues.

It was reported on Tuesday that Suga has now won the backing of the ruling party's largest faction.

Suga is Japan's chief cabinet secretary and Abe's long-time lieutenant.

And he is widely expected to continue the policy course set out by Abe, including the "Abenomics" strategy aimed at reviving the economy and keeping it afloat during the global health crisis.

Suga has not yet publicly announced his candidacy for leader of the Liberal Democratic Party.

But a source tells Reuters he has indicated privately that he intends to run--and media reports said he would formally announce his intention to run on Wednesday.

Party Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai said LDP executives agreed to a simplified vote, by party MPs from both chambers of parliament and heads of local chapters.

That's despite younger LDP legislators presenting a demand for a wider full-scale vote on Monday.

The party is expected to hold its leadership vote on September 14.

The party's leader will almost certainly become prime minister because of its majority in the lower house of parliament.