TOKYO, Oct 2: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reshuffled his Cabinet on Tuesday, retaining key diplomatic and economy posts as Japan tackles tough trade talks with the U.S.
Abe was re-elected in September to head the Liberal Democratic Party for a third term, paving the way to serve as Japan’s leader for up to three more years.
Tuesday’s reshuffle, Abe’s fourth since taking office in 2012, kept Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Finance Minister Taro Aso, Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko — core members of Abe’s government who have worked on tough negotiations on trade and other issues with their increasingly demanding American counterparts.
For defense minister, Abe appointed Takeshi Iwaya, a ruling party national security expert who is expected to follow the ongoing policy seeking Japan’s greater military role.
Abe has to re-solidify his grip on power in the party after his weaker-than-expected showing in the leadership election. He renewed more than half of the 19 Cabinet members and added some of his confidantes to help his push for a constitutional revision, though hurdles remain high.
Abe, 64, has said he is determined to use his last term to pursue his long-sought amendment to Japan’s U.S.-drafted pacifist constitution that many conservatives see as a humiliation imposed on Japan following its World War II defeat.
Abe faces intensifying trade friction with the U.S. that could shake his friendly relations with President Donald Trump. He also wants to settle island disputes with Russia and sign a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities. Abe also seeks to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to resolve bilateral disputes, including the decades-old problem of Japanese citizens abducted to the North.
At home, he faces political challenges such as dealing with Japan’s aging and declining population and a consumption tax hike to 10 percent that he has already delayed twice. He’s also tasked with preparing for and carrying out a royal succession in the spring.