TOKYO: Chief Cabinet Secretary SUGA Yoshihide, the front-runner to become Japan’s next prime minister, expressed his hope on Sunday to unify government organizations handling digital policy in order to promote the digitization of the public and private sectors.

Suga said the vertically segmented administrative culture of government ministries and agencies and bureaucrats’ emphasis on following precedents stand in the way of a range of policies, adding that the prime example is digital policy.

“Multiple ministries and agencies have (sections related to) digital policy. One option should be to unify them to deal with (the policy),” Suga said in an interview with Jiji Press.

On government management, Suga suggested that he will explore collaboration between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, to which he belongs, and opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party).

In terms of policy, Nippon Ishin is similar to the LDP, he said, while noting that Nippon Ishin seems ready to work with the LDP on a case-by-case basis.

On a dissolution of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, for a snap election, Suga said, “If the prime minister says he will dissolve, there will be dissolution.”

At the same time, Suga stressed his policy of accelerating efforts to bring the novel coronavirus epidemic under control. “As chief cabinet secretary, I have said the public calls for the containment of the coronavirus crisis. There is no change on that score,” he said.

He also said it will be experts who decide whether the epidemic is under control.

Suga has declared his bid to become LDP president to replace Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has announced his decision to step down for health reasons.

Explaining his candidacy, he said: “No political vacuum can be allowed. I thought hard if I can run away and decided that I am the best one to deal with (the crisis situation).”

Suga said he wants the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held next summer after a one-year postponement, and pledged to make efforts to that end.

Regarding diplomacy, Suga said: “Continuity is the most important. It will give top priority to the Japan-US alliance.” He also said he is very closely watching the US presidential election in November.

Elsewhere in the interview, Suga signaled his intention to maintain the government policy of raising the share of out-of-pocket medical expenses for higher-income elderly people aged 75 or older from 10 percent to 20 percent. 

He also said it is important to give consideration to the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis.

JIJI Press