News analysis

Suga, a diplomatic greenhorn, navigates choppy regional waters

Just 2½ weeks into Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's new administration, he is potentially charting quite a different course from that of his predecessor Shinzo Abe. The Sunday Times looks at his diplomatic and domestic priorities. New PM, being less showy than Abe, is likely to work behind the scenes to score results

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As get-well-soon wishes poured in from world leaders on Friday after US President Donald Trump said he had tested positive for Covid-19, one voice was conspicuously absent - that of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

Tokyo's immediate response was a bland statement from Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, saying only that Japan was "aware" that Mr Trump had taken ill but is in "good health condition".

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on October 04, 2020, with the headline Suga, a diplomatic greenhorn, navigates choppy regional waters. Subscribe