TOKYO -- It is often a thankless predicament when a person succeeds a leader who has left big shoes to fill. The successor is invariably compared to the predecessor in ways big and small and may be criticized even if attaining average, though still respectable, achievements.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga finds himself in just such a position when it comes to diplomacy. He follows Shinzo Abe, who established strong relations with leaders around the world and played a significant role in international politics.
