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WORLD> Asia-Pacific
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Japanese PM reshuffles cabinet
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-01 23:36 Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda reshuffled his 17-member Cabinet Friday in a bid to bolster support rate ahead of next House of Representatives election.
Four Cabinet members, including Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura, Foreign Minister Komura and Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Yoichi Masuzoe retained their posts.
Japanese media said Fukuda intented to offer an image of freshness and capability with the new Cabinet. Machimura announced the lineup of the new Cabinet early in the evening at a press conference held at the prime minister's official residence. Fukuda illustrated the new Cabinet's policy guidelines to reporters late in the evening, saying the Cabinet's mission is to take active measures to tackle the tough economic situation and ease difficulties in people's daily lives. He also denied the possibility to dissolve the House of Representatives for an early election. To better deal with economic issues at a time when rocketing crude oil prices pose significant challenges, Fukuda appointed several heavyweights of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to important posts related to financial and economic policies. LDP General Council Chairman and former Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai was reappointed to the post in the Cabinet. Former LDP Secretary General Bunmei Ibuki was appointed finance minister. Former Cabinet Secretary Kaoru Yosano was appointed state minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy. Besides, former LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Sadakazu Tanigaki was named land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister. The attestation ceremony for the new Cabinet will be held Saturday morning at the Imperial Palace. |
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