Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Monday appointed Foreign
Minister Taro Aso and two other lawmakers as the ruling Liberal
Democratic Party's new key executives, after the LDP's crushing
defeat in July's upper house election.
The LDP General Council endorsed in the morning the appointments
of Aso as secretary general, the party's No. 2 after party
president Abe, Toshihiro Nikai, as chairman of the General Council
and Nobuteru Ishihara, as chairman of the Policy Research
Council.
The 66-year-old Aso has been foreign minister both in Abe's and
former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinets. He acted as
LDP's chairman of the Policy Research Council. Nikai and Ishihara
were both Cabinet ministers at Koizumi's premiership.
The LDP meeting also appointed other party posts including
acting secretary general, parliament committee chairman and
election strategy director.
A Cabinet reshuffle will happen later in the day as
scheduled.
Nobutaka Machimura will be appointed as Japan's new foreign
minister while Masahiko Komura will take the post of defense chief,
local TV and news agencies said, quoting officials of the Liberal
Democratic Party as sources.
Kaoru Yosano will be the chief cabinet secretary to replace
Yasuhisa Shiozaki, while former defense head Fukushiro Nukaga will
be new finance minister. The new health and welfare minister will
be Yoichi Masuzoe, a former political commentator, the sources
said.
Tetsuzo Fuyushiba, the only member from the ruling coalition New
Komeito Party, is likely to remain as land, infrastructure and
transport minister. Current economy, trade and industry minister
Akira Amari will also remain in the post, the reports said.
The party leadership revamping and a Cabinet reshuffle are both
seen as the premier's efforts to regain public trust following his
ruling party's failure to retain majority in the House of
Councilors.
(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2007)
