Yoshihide Suga

Three Japanese couple who had approached the top court arguing they want to keep their own surname after marriage, was subsequently denied. According to their constitutional rule, the couples will have to choose family name as surname. However, the Debate over different surnames is a hot topic in the country because some lawmakers in the ruling coalition support the idea and some oppose it. 

Amid surging COVID-19 cases, Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga canceled his India and Philippines visit on April 21. Reportedly, Japan will start an extended holiday beginning in late April as a COVID countermeasure. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said PM will not travel overseas during the Golden Week. Suga's trip to India would have allowed him to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi face to face for the first time.

Japanese telecom giant Nippon Telegraph & Telephone (NTT) announced plans on buying the mobile phone carrier NTT Docomo for $40 Million (USD) on September 29. The company which currently owns 66 percent of the share further plans to buy the remaining 34 percent for acquiring a cent percent stake. Earlier, Japan PM Yoshihide Suga requested to reduce the price of wireless carriers to stimulate consumer spending elsewhere in the economy.

On September 16, Japan formally elected Yoshihide Suga as the new Prime Minister of Japan. After the leadership proceedings on September 14, the country's lower house of the parliament elected the 71-year-old Suga. Shortly after, Suga announced his cabinet members, retaining most of the positions held by ministers in his predecessor's administration. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter and congratulated the new Prime Minister… read-more

In an opinion poll on September 10, the Japanese government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga was voted heavily as Shinzo Abe's successor. About 44% participants voted for Suga and 36% for former minister Shigeru Ishiba. Suga has worked as the chief cabinet secretary in Abe's government. However, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party will formally meet on September 14 to elect its new leader, who will be the next PM until September 2021.