Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reshuffled his cabinet and the executive line-up of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Wednesday as the administration faces slipping public support.
According to the line-up, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno remained in their posts as Kishida aims to ensure continuity in the face of pressing economic and diplomatic issues.
LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi and LDP Vice President Taro Aso also retained their posts.
Former Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada replaced Nobuo Kishi and took the defense portfolio again.
The new cabinet also includes LDP policy chief Sanae Takaichi as economic security minister. The party’s PR chief Taro Kono was named Digitization Minister.
Kishida appointed Industry Minister Koichi Hagiuda with the key post of LDP policy chief, and gave the Industry Minister job to Yasutoshi Nishimura, a former Economic Revitalization Minister who was in charge of the government’s Covid-19 response.
