ACCORDING to ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and local reports citing government sources, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans for a reshuffle by September 13.
The LDP, together with its coalition partner Komeito, plans to maintain their alliance even after the reshuffle; Sources also added that no opposition Democratic Party will join the bloc.
The Japanese prime minister is currently in India for the Group of 20 Summit in New Delhi, and he delivered his plan to senior Japanese members via phone.
It is also said that Kishida plans to retain Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi and Vice President Taro Aso due to their stable management of the party.
In addition, the prime minister also plans to win the re-election with the help of Aso and Toshimitsu, who are heads of major intra party groups.
However, Motegi is seen as Kishida’s potential challenger for the nearing party presidential race, with Motegi being the leader of the third largest group within the LDP.
To which the secretary general responded that his position required him to support the current administration.
Meanwhile, Kishida is expected to place LDP policy Chief Koichi Hagiuda and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura in key positions within the cabinet.
Since being appointed as the prime minister in 2021, Kishida has eyed to fix the power balance within the party—and the planned reshuffling hopes to boost the Kishida administration’s approval rating as it dramatically fell.
