Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Fukuda reshuffles his cabinet

Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo on August 1 reshuffled his cabinet, for the first time since he took office in September 2007. He also made changes in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership.

Aso Taro, former foreign minister, was appointed as LDP secretary general, the top post of the ruling party.

Machimura Nobutaka retained his post as the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the cabinet’s spokesperson.

In announcing his second cabinet lineup, Fukuda said he wanted to push ahead with the reform policies that the public needs. Nevertheless, he kept Masuzoe Yoichi in the post of Health, Labor and Welfare minister, who sticks to the implementation of the unpopular health insurance system in defiance of strong and widespread demand for its abolition.

Fukuda reappointed Komura Masahiko as foreign minister, who has been spearheading the government campaign for legislation for Japan to continue to deploy the Maritime Self-Defense Force to the Indian Ocean to assist the U.S. “war on terrorism.”

The ruling party’s four top officials got key cabinet posts. Former LDP Secretary General Ibuki Bunmei was named as finance minister, former Chairman of the LDP General Council Toshihiro Nikai as economic, trade and industry minister, and former LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Tanigaki Sadakazu as land, infrastructure, transport, tourism minister. - Akahata, August 2, 2008