Yoshihide Suga Fast Facts

CNN Editorial Research

Here’s a look at the life of Japan’s former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

Personal

Birth date: December 6, 1948

Birth place: Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture, Japan

Father: Wasaburo Suga, strawberry farmer

Mother: Tatsu Suga, schoolteacher

Marriage: Mariko Suga

Children: 3 sons

Education: Hosei University, B.A. in Law, 1973

Other Facts

Suga is the longest-serving chief cabinet secretary in Japanese history.

Suga is a teetotaler.

Timeline

1975 – Accepts a job as secretary to Hikosaburo Okonogi, a member of the House of Representatives from Yokohama.

April 1987-1996 – Yokohama City Council member.

1996 – Wins a seat in the lower house of Parliament, representing the Kanagawa 2nd district.

2001 – Deputy Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

2002 – Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

2003 – Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

2004 – Deputy Chairman, Diet Affairs Committee, LDP.

November 2005 – Is appointed Senior Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications under Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

2006-2007 – Is appointed Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications and Minister for Privatization of the Postal Services in the first Shinzo Abe cabinet.

December 2006-2007 – Minister of State for Decentralization Reform is added to his portfolio.

August 2007 – Suga is replaced as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, Minister for Privatization of the Postal Services and Minister of State for Decentralization Reform by Hiroya Masuda in a cabinet reshuffle.

2007 – Director-General, Election Strategy Committee, LDP.

2010 – Director, Committee on Rules and Administration, HR.

October 2011 – Chairman of the LDP Party Organization and Campaign Headquarters.

September 2012 – Executive Acting Secretary-General of the LDP.

December 2012 – Chief Cabinet Secretary Minister in charge of Strengthening National Security.

September 2014 – Given the additional title of Chief Cabinet Secretary Minister in charge of Alleviating the Burden of the Bases in Okinawa.

October 2018 – Is named minister in charge of the Abductions Issue, tasked with investigating the abduction of citizens by North Korea during the 1970s and 1980s.

2018 – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo travels to Tokyo and meets with Suga.

April 1, 2019 – Suga announces the name of the era of Japan’s new Emperor Naruhito, Reiwa or “beautiful harmony,” gaining worldwide notice and earning the nickname “Uncle Reiwa.”

May 2019 – Travels to Washington, DC, to meet with Vice President Mike Pence and other senior officials.

September 14, 2020 – Suga is voted in as the new leader of the ruling LDP, securing about 70% of the votes and paving the way to become prime minister in a parliamentary vote later in the week.

September 16, 2020 – Suga is formally voted in by parliament and is sworn in by Naruhito at the Imperial Palace as Japan’s new prime minister.

April 16, 2021 – US President Joe Biden hosts Suga at the White House. Suga is the first foreign leader to visit the US since President Biden took office.

September 3, 2021 – Announces he will not run in forthcoming LDP leadership election, effectively ceding the premiership and opening the race to other candidates after a term of less than a year.

October 4, 2021 – Fumio Kishida takes office as the new prime minister.

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