Japan's Kishida reshuffles cabinet

TOKYO－Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reshuffled his cabinet and the executive lineup of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP, on Wednesday as the government faces slipping public support.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno remained in their posts, as Kishida aims to ensure continuity in the face of pressing economic and diplomatic issues.

LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi and LDP Vice-President Taro Aso also retained their posts. Former defense minister Yasukazu Hamada replaced Nobuo Kishi and took the defense portfolio again.

The new cabinet also includes LDP policy chief Sanae Takaichi as economic security minister. The party's PR chief Taro Kono was named digitization minister.

Kishida appointed industry minister Koichi Hagiuda with the key post of LDP policy chief, and gave the industry minister job to Yasutoshi Nishimura, a former economic revitalization minister.

The cabinet renewal was the second in just 10 months since Kishida took office following the July election victory. But Shinzo Abe's shocking assassination on July 8 and its impact on politics increased uncertainty as public support for Kishida's cabinet plunged.

Abe was fatally shot while giving a campaign speech two days before a parliamentary election. Police and media reports said the suspect had targeted Abe over suspected ties to the Unification Church, which the man despised because his mother's massive financial donations to the church ruined his family.

Kishida said he had instructed his ministers and other senior officials to clarify their connection to the Unification Church "so that we can achieve political and administrative work that can be trusted by the people".

The renewal comes as a survey released on Monday by public broadcaster NHK showed support for Kishida's cabinet fell to 46 percent from 59 percent.

Kishida's plan to hold a state funeral for Abe has split public opinion because of Abe's archconservative stance on national security and wartime history. Critics also see a state funeral as the government's attempt to glorify Abe's legacy.

Agencies - Xinhua