Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday announced his candidacy to succeed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, vowing to push forward with the Japanese premier's signature economic policies.The 71-year-old Suga, who has been Abe's right-hand man for nearly eight years, is on course to secure about 70 percent of the votes of party lawmakers, making him the clear front-runner.The race for the party's top post will officially kick off on Sept. 8 and a new leader will be elected at a joint plenary meeting of LDP party members from both houses …READ FULL ARTICLE
