Japan’s newly appointed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has never been known as a man with charisma.
So when the reticent, often expressionless legislator emerged as front-runner in the race to succeed former leader Shinzo Abe, speculation emerged that he might make up for his lack of charm by tapping a crowd-pleaser for one of the most pivotal roles of his new administration: chief Cabinet secretary, which doubles as the government's top spokesman.
Instead, Suga has entrusted the portfolio to someone similar to himself — Katsunobu Kato, a former health minister whom it would be hard to describe as colorful, outspoken or telegenic.