Japan’s Suga Firms Up Key Re-Election Support Despite Low Polls

  • Ruling party leadership vote to be held Sept. 29, NHK says
  • Nikai group backs Suga despite record-low public approval
Yoshihide Suga

Photographer: Nicolas Datiche/Sipa/Bloomberg

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Japan’s Yoshihide Suga moved closer to being re-elected ruling party leader and remaining prime minister after a powerful faction backed him, even as a record wave of Covid-19 infections pushed his public support rate to new lows.

The Liberal Democratic Party will hold its leadership election Sept. 29, public broadcaster NHK reportedBloomberg Terminal. Backroom power broker and leader of a top faction, Toshihiro Nikai, told reporters Tuesday his group would support Suga.