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)
