TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide said Wednesday he showed how Japan should strive to create a carbon-neutral, digitalized society over the past year.

“Although I served as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party for only a year, I believe I was able to set a certain direction for Japan’s green and digitalization initiatives,” Suga told a meeting of all LDP lawmakers held after Fumio Kishida was elected new party head earlier in the day. “I thank every party member and supporter from my heart for the past year.”

The LDP leadership election was contested by four candidates including Kishida, former party policy chief. Suga did not run for reelection.

Policy debates among the candidates during the race “showed the LDP’s potential to Japanese people,” Suga added.

Suga, also to be succeeded by Kishida as prime minister, threw his support behind regulatory reform minister KONO Taro, who is in charge of coronavirus vaccine rollout, in the race.

JIJI Press