'포스트 아베' 유력한 스가 관방 "아베 정권 확실히 계승"... "北 김위원장과 조건 없이 만나기 희망"<br /><br />Following Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision to step down due to his ill health,... his long-time close aide, Tokyo's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says he will run for the post.<br />Kim Hyo-sun has the developments.<br />Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, has officially launched his bid to become the country's next prime minister,... succeeding Shinzo Abe.<br />He's a long-time aide of Abe's, who announced last week that he will resign, citing poor health.<br />Suga explained during a press briefing Wednesday that he was entering the leadership contest to prevent a political vacuum during a time of crisis, as the country continues to grapple the pandemic.<br />"I thought deeply as a politician and as somebody who supported the Abe administration what I should do. As a result, I made the decision to stand as a candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party."<br />He told reporters that he will push forward 'Abe-nomics' stimulus policies,... stressing he will continue the same kind of relationship Abe had with the country's central bank.<br />While Suga did not touch upon Seoul-Tokyo relations during the 50 minute-long press conference,... he expressed a willingness to sit down with the leader of North Korea unconditionally.<br />"As the Chief Cabinet Secretary, I have been working with the Prime Minister Abe on North Korea's abduction issue. So I believe in order to resolve the abduction issue, I would like to meet Chairman Kim Jong Un without conditions and find a way for a solution."<br />Suga also stressed the importance of the bilateral relationship between Tokyo and Washington,... explaining that the alliance is the foundation to building relationships with other neighboring countries.<br />The Liberal Democratic Party has decided to hold a scaled-back leadership vote on September 14th,... involving only its legislators and three representatives from each of the country's 47 prefectures.<br />Local media say this will advantage Suga, who is backed by five of the party's seven factions.<br />A parliamentary vote is likely to follow on September 16th.<br />Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.<br />
