Yoshihide Suga understood to want social media-savvy 58-year-old to take over, according to local media

Japan’s outgoing prime minister Yoshihide Suga will back Taro Kono, the popular minister in charge of the country’s vaccination rollout, as his successor, according to reports.

Suga announced on Friday that he will not run for leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic party this month, meaning that whoever wins the leadership race will become prime minister.