Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda reshuffled the Cabinet and shook up the executive lineup of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Friday, retaining only four of the 17 Cabinet members. It was the first reshuffle by Fukuda since he took office and inherited most of the Cabinet last September from his predecessor Shinzo Abe. Why did Fukuda make a major change to the Cabinet at this time? What are the characteristics of the new Cabinet? And what will the reshuffle bring to the Fukuda administration?
The ruling coalition, made up of the LDP and its minor partner the New Komeito Party, lost the majority in the House of Councilors when the LDP was defeated in the upper house election in July, 2007. After coming into the post, Fukuda extended invitation to the major opposition the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) for a coalition government, but was declined.
The DPJ, together with others in the opposition bloc, forced to abortion of several important bills at the upper house, including the special anti-terrorism measures law. Although the LDP forcibly managed the bill through the parliament by its two-thirds majority in the more powerful House of Representatives, or the lower house, in accordance with the parliamentary law, the seldom-used political measure aroused public discontent and led to the decline of support rate of the government.
From the beginning of this year, affected by issues related to the people's livelihood, such as the blunder of pension records and the new medical system for seniors, the approval rating of the Fukuda Cabinet continued to declined even below the dangerous level of 20 percent. In the meantime, public dissatisfaction with the government was aggravated under rocketing oil and food prices and the deterioration of economic situation, which push ordinary people into harder lives.
Fukuda has thought of regaining public trust by scoring in diplomacy at which he is proficient. However, despite the significant improvement of ties with China and South Korea in the first half of 2008 and his successful chair at the Group of Eight summit in early July, the Cabinet support rate has not enjoyed an obvious lift.
In this circumstance, personnel adjustment turned to be a critical means for survival. Japanese media said the major reshuffle of the Cabinet demonstrated Fukuda's leadership and decision.
As for the appointment of the new LDP leadership and the lineup of the new Cabinet, interests of all parties in the ruling coalition were evenly considered, as persons from all factions of the LDP were chosen, and one post in the Cabinet was kept for the News Komeito Party.
Former Foreign Minister Taro Aso, one-time rival of Fukuda in the LDP presidential election last year, was re-appointed secretary general and No. 2 of the ruling party, while powerfuls such as Bunmei Ibuki, Toshihiro Nikai, Sadakazu Tanigaki and Kaoru Yosano were re-invited into the Cabinet. The lineup was called by Japanese media as "heavyweights" system.
Analysts said the choice of Aso, who boasts communication channel with the New Komeito Party and is especially welcomed by the younger generation, was aimed at improving the popularity of and building the harmony for the LDP.
