Shinzo Abe’s cabinet reshuffle marks the start of ‘open race’ to pick Japan’s next prime minister
- Toshimitsu Motegi was named as the new foreign minister, replacing Taro Kono, who moves to the defence portfolio
- Shinjiro Koizumi, the 38-year-old son of much-loved former PM Junichiro Koizumi, was appointed environment minister
The spectacular appointment as environment minister of the telegenic Shinjiro Koizumi, the 38-year-old son of much-loved former PM Junichiro Koizumi, set tongues wagging in Tokyo political classes as the Abe era draws to a close.
“Abe intends to start an open race to pick the next prime minister or even the one after that,” said SMBC Nikko Securities chief market economist Yoshimasa Maruyama.
Does Shinjiro Koizumi want to be Japan’s future leader?
Despite intense media spotlight, he has been coy on expressing his view on the issues of the day and there will be close scrutiny over his policies on nuclear power, particularly on whether he will break with his father’s anti-nuclear stance.
Abe is set to become Japan’s longest-serving prime minister in November but is expected to step down at the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election in 2021 and the jostling for position is already beginning.
Japan’s new foreign minister is Toshimitsu Motegi, who was promoted as a reward for his work in negotiating a trade deal with the United States.
Kono, who has amused commentators by interacting with people on social media – even offering relationship advice at times – struck a hard line during the recent spat with Seoul that has infected their trade and security ties.
Motegi, 63, is a Harvard-educated political veteran who worked as a McKinsey consultant before winning a lower house seat in 1993.
Analysts do not expect the shake-up to herald significant changes to Japan’s diplomatic policy, which is managed largely by the prime minister’s office.
But it may also put Motegi in the starting blocks in the race to succeed Abe, noted Tobias Harris, an expert on Japanese politics at consultancy Teneo.
Abe retained the services of his trusted associate Taro Aso as deputy prime minister and finance minister, as well as Yoshihide Suga as the powerful chief cabinet secretary.
Japan’s new foreign minister Taro Kono: China’s friend ... or foe?
The PM also kept key allies and aides within the cabinet and top layers of the party to shore up his position for the next two years.
The Abe government is poised to hike its consumption tax from 8 per cent to 10 per cent on October 1, amid fears this could act as a brake on the world’s third-largest economy.
He is also hoping to achieve his long-cherished ambition of amending Japan’s post-war constitution to change the status of the country’s Self Defence Forces.
Abe also kept LDP Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai, who has deep contacts in China, as Japan prepares for an expected state visit by Xi Jinping in 2020.
Among other key figures are former Olympic speed skater Seiko Hashimoto, who became the latest in a string of Olympic ministers ahead of the 2020 summer Games.
Taro Kono on the back foot after being criticised by his father over North Korea
During her previous stint as interior minister, she threatened to cut off TV news stations over perceived unfriendly coverage.