Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, currently the leading candidate to become the next president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said he would like to reorganize the nation's Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has an overwhelmingly large budget, and also has had pension problems," Suga said in a recent interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun. "The COVID-19 pandemic is a major issue, and it is not a problem the ministry can deal with alone."

"As soon as the virus is settled down, we need to examine the organizational structure of the ministry," said Suga, 71. He also told The Yomiuri it was essential to digitize the government's administration. He also intends to create a tentatively-named "Digital Agency" project to promote the digitization of government administration. 

Suga indicated that he will consider additional economic measures to counter the coronavirus. As he stressed "we want to protect jobs and maintain conditions under which business can continue," and he believes the socio-economic activities can be balanced with preventing the spread of the disease.

An official in his camp said he'd like to see a new administration led by Suga as the chief cabinet secretary "will be capable to continue the policies in line with the current administration while emphasizing his individuality.”

Suga is widely expected to win the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election on Sep 14, a date set after Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision to step down. The winner is virtually assured of becoming premier because of the LDP's parliamentary majority.

(With inputs from agencies)