Japan’s Prime Minister Reshuffles Cabinet

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday reshuffled his Cabinet and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Executive, with changes including Foreign Affairs and Defense.

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Kishida’s second Cabinet reshuffle since last year comes as the government’s popularity plummets. This time it includes changes to 13 of the 19 ministers, 11 of whom are joining for the first time.

Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura are among the six Cabinet members retained.

The appointment of a record five women ministers is noteworthy. The number of women in the Cabinet increases from two to five, and former Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa, a veteran legislator, is appointed Foreign Minister. 

The remaining four changes are in the Ministries of Defense, Minoru Kihara; Health (Keizo Takemi) and Reconstruction (Shinako Tsuchiya); as well as Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Ichiro Miyashita).

The reshuffle comes coinciding with the fact that Kishida’s Cabinet approval ratings have continued to fall to touch in August, the lowest levels since he took office in October 2021. 

This comes against a backdrop of strong public unease over the implementation of Japan’s new ID card system, called My Number, as well as a rise in prices but no wage hikes.

It is also seen as an opportunity for Kishida to consolidate and maintain his political support within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as he prepares for the party’s presidential election scheduled for September 2024.

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