In April last year, millions of Japanese turned on their television sets to learn the name of the new Imperial era, a momentous announcement that by quirk of tradition falls to the chief cabinet secretary. They watched as a slight, unsmiling figure with a side-parting bowed and marched towards the podium. “The name of the new era is ‘Reiwa’,” Yoshihide Suga declared.

Mr Suga was dubbed “Uncle Reiwa”, and that moment in the spotlight, as the new Emperor Naruhito took over, was expected to be the highlight of his career. Although a central player in the government of prime minister Shinzo Abe — respected and feared — few members of the ruling Liberal Democratic party thought a man so lacking in pedigree and charisma could go further. A kingmaker, they thought, but never the king.

Not for the first time, Mr Suga was underestimated.