TOKYO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reshuffled his Cabinet and the executive lineup of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Wednesday as the administration faces slipping public support.
Calling his new team "a Cabinet that pushes through policies," Kishida said he chose "experienced and capable" members to swiftly deliver results in times of crises.
According to the Cabinet's lineup, 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 were also retained.
Former Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada replaced Nobuo Kishi and took the defense portfolio again. Katsunobu Kato assumed the post of health minister for the third time.
The new cabinet also includes LDP policy chief Sanae Takaichi, known for her hawkish security views, 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 who was in charge of the government's COVID-19 response.
Nine members took their first Cabinet posts.
The new lineup reflects Kishida's desire to retain the support of conservative members who belong to the largest LDP faction that had been led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a necessity to ensure the longevity of his tenure as party leader and therefore prime minister, Kyodo News said.
The reshuffle had been expected to take place in early September, but analysts said Kishida appears to be moving early to try to halt the slide in his support as soon as possible.
For the past 10 months since taking office, Kishida has received relatively strong support from the public, focusing on the government's COVID-19 response and measures to cope with surging inflation.
However, due to lawmakers' possible ties to the Unification Church, a new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and soaring consumer prices, the approval rating for Kishida's cabinet has dropped to its lowest level in opinion polls since he took office last October, 51.0 percent from a record high of 63.2 percent just weeks ago, according to a recent Kyodo News survey.
