Asia · updated 18m ago · 2 min read
Sanae Takaichi Reshuffles Japan Cabinet, Retains Key Ministers and Adds Hiroshi Nakatsuka
Takaichi reshuffled cabinet, retaining key ministers and adding a newcomer from the Japan Innovation Party. New lineup signaled continuity in leadership and policy by keeping finance, diplomacy, and defense portfolios.
14 outlets, one story, no spin found.
10 of 11 outlets skipped it: cabinet changes are tied to a bill to cut the consumption tax on food and beverages.
14outlets compared
Cabinet reshuffle in Tokyo
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reshuffled her Cabinet on Thursday, retaining key ministers while bringing in Hiroshi Nakatsuka from the Japan Innovation Party, the junior coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
“ISLAMABAD Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reshuffled her Cabinet Thursday”
The reshuffle was first reported as taking place in Tokyo, with the lineup keeping Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama.
Reuters said the reshuffle retained Minoru Kiuchi as economy minister and pointed to “no change” in Takaichi’s flagship spending plans.
The Anadolu Ajansı report said Takaichi cut Internal Affairs Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi while inducting a newcomer from the Japan Innovation Party, and it noted the Cabinet reshuffle came ahead of an extraordinary parliamentary session starting in October.
Rivals, markets, and policy
ABC News described the reshuffle as an effort to revive waning popularity, while retaining key ministers including Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
Reuters reported that Keiji Kanda, a senior economist at the Daiwa Institute of Research, said the reappointment of Satsuki Katayama would help Takaichi “proceed steadily with steps taken so far” and focus on guiding fiscal policy stably.
ABC News said Takaichi retained Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and Economy and Fiscal Policy Minister Minoru Kiuchi, and it reported that she replaced 10 out of 18 ministers.
The Reuters report also said the reshuffle was aimed mostly at having the Japan Innovation Party share responsibility on policy-making by joining the cabinet, with Hiroshi Nakatsuka appointed as minister in charge of deregulation.
Next steps and political timing
Multiple outlets tied the reshuffle to upcoming parliamentary and policy deadlines, with Anadolu Ajansı saying it came before an extraordinary parliamentary session starting in October and Reuters describing the reshuffle as the first since Takaichi took office last October.
“cap new government bond issuance around 40 trillion yen”
Reuters reported that Takaichi’s pledge to cap new government bond issuance around 40 trillion yen for the fiscal 2027 budget was facing scrutiny, and it said the Bank of Japan was widely expected to hike its main policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.25% on Friday.
Japan Wire by Kyodo News said the extraordinary Diet session was likely to be convened on Oct. 5, during which lawmakers would deliberate a plan to reduce the consumption tax on food and beverages from 8 percent to 1 percent for two years starting in April.
CGTN said ministers of Japanese PM Takaichi’s cabinet submitted letters of resignation en masse at an extraordinary cabinet meeting on Thursday ahead of a planned cabinet reshuffle, with the new lineup scheduled to be announced later in the day.