Japan's new cabinet unveiled

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda picked a new cabinet on Friday that was a mix of old-guard legislators and several reappointments to restore confidence in his leadership amid flagging public popularity.

In an unusual move, he appointed two women, former telecommunications minister Seiko Noda, and Kyoko Nakayama, a key figure in trying to win back Japanese "kidnapped" by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea decades ago, a longtime emotional issue for the country.

The cabinet reshuffle has been widely viewed as an attempt by 72-year-old Fukuda to win back public support following scandals over alleged bribery in his bureaucracy.