# YOSHIHIDE SUGA FAST FACTS | CNN
Yoshihide Suga, born on December 6, 1948, in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture, Japan, has had an extensive career in Japanese politics. Suga’s father, Wasaburo Suga, was a strawberry farmer, and his mother, Tatsu Suga, was a schoolteacher. After receiving a B.A. in Law from Hosei University in 1973, Suga went on to become the longest-serving chief cabinet secretary in Japanese history.
## POLITICAL CAREER
Suga’s political career began in 1975 when he accepted a job as a secretary to Hikosaburo Okonogi, a member of the House of Representatives from Yokohama. From there, he went on to serve as a Yokohama City Council member from April 1987 to 1996. In 1996, Suga won a seat in the lower house of Parliament, representing the Kanagawa 2nd district.
Throughout the years, Suga held various positions within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), including serving as the deputy secretary-general, parliamentary vice-minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and deputy chairman of the Diet Affairs Committee. He was also appointed to ministerial positions, such as minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, minister for Privatization of the Postal Services, and minister for Decentralization Reform in the first Shinzo Abe cabinet.
## ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Suga was known for his work in national security, decentralization reform, and addressing the abduction issue involving North Korea. He gained worldwide attention in April 2019 when he announced the name of the era of Japan’s new Emperor Naruhito, Reiwa, which means « beautiful harmony. » This earned him the nickname “Uncle Reiwa.”
In September 2020, Suga was voted in as the new leader of the ruling LDP, paving the way for him to become prime minister. He was formally voted in by parliament on September 16, 2020, and sworn in by Naruhito at the Imperial Palace as Japan’s new prime minister.
## INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Suga had significant interactions with foreign leaders, including a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a visit to Washington, DC to meet with Vice President Mike Pence and other senior officials. In April 2021, US President Joe Biden hosted Suga at the White House, making him the first foreign leader to visit the US since President Biden took office.
However, Suga’s term as prime minister was short-lived, as he announced on September 3, 2021, that he would not run in the forthcoming LDP leadership election, effectively ceding the premiership and opening the race to other candidates. He was succeeded by Fumio Kishida on October 4, 2021.
Overall, Yoshihide Suga’s career in politics was marked by his dedication to national security, diplomatic relations, and his unique role in announcing the new era in Japan.
## References:
– CNN – “Yoshihide Suga Fast Facts” – https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/22/asia/yoshihide-suga-fast-facts-intl-hnk/index.html
