The heightened visibility of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has recently appeared in a number of media interviews, has raised speculations that he is seeking another run for the premiership.

An article in the Straits Times quotes Research Director Sota Kato as saying, “Naturally, Abe will have a desire to come back. He quit suddenly and failed to leave (a constitutional revision) legacy he has been so obsessed about.”

Current Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is staking his political fortunes on speeding up Japan’s vaccination drive and successfully hosting the Tokyo Games. But this could be akin to a “lovers’ suicide,” Kato said, “if things go wrong and a much-feared ‘Olympic variant’ or fifth Covid-19 wave were to emerge.”

“Is a Premier Comeback on the Cards for Shinzo Abe?” Straits Times
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/third-times-a-charm-is-former-japan-pm-shinzo-abe-gunning-for-the-hot-seat-again

Profile of Research Director Sota Kato
https://www.tkfd.or.jp/en/experts/detail.php?id=29