New Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has stuck to his campaign promise during the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election, promoting younger party members to posts in his Cabinet.
At the same time, Kishida has struck a balance by also selecting mid-ranking and veteran members with well-regarded skills, and by showing consideration for major party factions. These appointments have provided a glimpse of Kishida's personal political style.
--Seeking reconciliation
One eye-catching selection was the appointment of 46-year-old Takayuki Kobayashi, a former parliamentary vice minister of defense, as minister in charge of economic security. Kobayashi is a House of Representatives member serving his third term.
Formerly a bureaucrat in the Finance Ministry, Kobayashi has attracted attention from other LDP members as someone well versed in policymaking. He served as chief of the secretariat of a party organ for discussing economic security issues -- a body chaired by Akira Amari, who is now the LDP's secretary general.
Kishida had long regarded Kobayashi as a promising candidate for a seat in his Cabinet.
Kobayashi belongs to the LDP faction led by former party Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai. The relationship between Kishida and Nikai cooled over Kishida's proposal to limit the terms of top party executives.
Kishida appears to have thought that promoting Kobayashi would lead to a reconciliation with Nikai. Prior to the announcement of his appointment, Kishida consulted Nikai about naming Kobayashi to the Cabinet.
Kishida sought Nikai's understanding, telling him, "I want to keep a balance among junior, mid-ranking and veteran members." Nikai gave his assent.
Among LDP lawmakers who have been elected to the lower house three times, Karen Makishima, now director of the party's Youth Division, will be the digital minister, and Noriko Horiuchi, currently state minister of the environment, will be the minister in charge of vaccinations. It is the first cabinet appointment for both of them.
Within the LDP, lawmakers who have been elected to the lower house at least five times had been viewed as qualified to be cabinet ministers.
Former Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, who belongs to the Kishida faction, voiced his expectations, saying: "These personnel decisions can be a trigger to rejuvenate the party. I hope more and more party members in their third Diet term will come to the forefront and change the way politics are conducted."
--Continuity valued
Also notable was the appointment of Cabinet members with established reputations.
Kishida retained Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi in those posts, from his belief that "continuity is important in diplomatic and security policies" at a time when the national security situation, including moves by China, is increasingly tense.
Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also recommended keeping Kishi, who is Abe's younger brother.
To the post of economy, trade and industry minister, Kishida appointed Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Koichi Hagiuda. Hagiuda was a deputy chief cabinet secretary in the Abe Cabinet and his ability to coordinate different opinions has been highly praised.
Seiko Noda, a former internal affairs and communications minister and one of the rival candidates in the LDP presidential election, was made minister in charge of measures for the declining birthrate.
Noda has worked to deal with the low birthrate for many years. During the party leadership race, she stressed that "investments in the future of children are the greatest economic growth strategy."
Kishida also respected the wishes of executive members of LDP factions who supported him in the presidential election.
Concerning Daishiro Yamagiwa, a former state minister of economy, trade and industry, Amari asked Kishida to appoint him to a Cabinet post related to economic affairs. Amari and Yamagiwa belong to a faction led by Taro Aso.
Yamagiwa was subsequently made the minister in charge of economic revitalization.
Kozaburo Nishime, named as the incoming minister for reconstruction, and Kenji Wakamiya, who was appointed minister for the World Expo, belong to a faction that was led by Wataru Takeshita. The two lower house members' appointments were realized at the recommendation of Motegi, who is acting chairman of the Takeshita faction.
A senior member of the Takeshita faction said, "We got a perfect response."
--None from Ishiba faction
From the Kishida faction, Yasushi Kaneko, a former state minister for land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, was appointed as internal affairs and communications minister, and Genjiro Kaneko, a House of Councillors member, was made agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister. Horiuchi is also from the Kishida faction.
Because Kishida gave priority to other factions when filling major LDP posts and did not appoint members of his own faction, he regained a balance with the appointment of these three to the Cabinet.
Kishida did not choose anyone from the factions led by Shigeru Ishiba and Nobuteru Ishihara for spots in his Cabinet.
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