Newly installed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said that he wants to be his own man when it comes to diplomacy. But his dearth of experience means he’ll be relying heavily on key Cabinet ministers and his predecessor’s foreign policy playbook — and advice — as his administration begins.
Although former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was well known for putting his own stamp on diplomatic initiatives and raising Japan’s international profile through 81 overseas visits in his nearly eight-year term, such forays abroad by Suga in recent years are countable on one hand.
Indeed, Suga himself has hinted that it will be virtually impossible for his administration to live up to any expectations of a similar focus on diplomacy — at least initially — as he aims to maintain stability and some degree of continuity from Abe.