Liberal Democratic Party Research Commission on the Tax System Chairperson Akira Amari

       TOKYO -- The chairperson for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) Research Commission on the Tax System told a satellite television show on Sept. 6 that he intends to support former Policy Research Council Chairperson Fumio Kishida in the upcoming party presidential election.

       Speaking on a BS Nippon Corporation television show, Akira Amari said, "I feel sympathy with Mr. Kishida. If the circumstances will allow it, I'd like to support him. He's a capable and upstanding person."

       Amari also revealed that he met on Sept. 6 with Minister in charge of Administrative Reform Taro Kono, who has expressed his intention run in the presidential race. Both Amari and Kono are members of the LDP's faction led by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso.

       Amari praised Kono, saying: "His communicative skills and his ability to overcome issues that give the sense that once he sets his mind on something he acts, are quite something." But he referred to Kono's position as head of the government's coronavirus vaccinations program to add, "If we've bad words to say about the vaccines, and Mr. Kono is being praised, then I feel sorry that Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is being criticized for it."

       (Japanese original by Hiroyuki Tanaka, Political News Department)

       Font Size S M L Print Timeline 0