It is expected that the current Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, will dissolve the House of Representatives later this month to hold early elections, likely on February 8. Yesterday, former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced his decision to retire from parliament, citing his age and his desire to pass the baton to younger generations of Japanese lawmakers. General elections are expected to be called soon. A lawmaker from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) told his supporters that he will not seek re-election, according to Japan's Kyodo News Agency. Suga (77 years old) was a close aide to the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and served as Chief Cabinet Secretary for a record seven years and eight months.
