Japan is feeling a little like old times. Yoshihide Suga’s decision to step down as prime minister after only a year recalls the days before his predecessor Shinzo Abe’s almost eight-year rule, when Japan had six premiers in six years. Many in his Liberal Democratic party, however, will quietly see Suga’s decision not to contest a leadership vote this month as a blessing. His personal popularity had sagged, while the LDP had performed poorly in local elections. With a general election looming, his party, and his country, need a different kind of leader.
日本感觉有点像旧时代。菅义伟(Yoshihide Suga)在上任仅一年后就卸任首相的决定，让人想起他的前任安倍晋三(Shinzo Abe)执政近八年之前的年代，那时日本在六年期间有过六位首相。然而在菅义伟领导的自民党(LDP)中，许多人会悄悄地将他本月不参选党魁的决定视为一种祝福。他的个人声望此前已经下降，而自民党在地方选举中表现不佳。在大选临近之际，他的政党乃至他的国家需要一位不同类型的领导人。