Japan Press Weekly

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2018 October 3 - 9 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Reshuffled Abe Cabinet reflects Abe's rightwing, anti-constitution position: JCP Koike

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on October 2 at a press conference in the Diet building said that the reshuffled 4th Abe Cabinet consists entirely of people having a rightist, anti-constitution mindset like Prime Minister Abe.

Asked about his impression on the reshuffled 20-member Cabinet, Koike pointed out that 19 of the ministers belong to the Liberal Democratic Party and are members of the "Shinto Political League", an organization affiliated with Japan's largest rightist group Nippon Kaigi (Japan Conference). Of the 19, 14 are also members of the Nippon Kaigi-affiliated lawmakers' organization. Koike said, "The reshuffled Cabinet lineup is strongly flavored with pro-constitutional revision and rightwing thinking."

Stressing the need to convene an extraordinary session of the Diet without delay, Koike said that the JCP will grill the Abe Cabinet about a mountain of issues Japan is facing, such as the construction of a new U.S. base in Henoko which took center stage in the latest Okinawa gubernatorial election; PM Abe's diplomatic stance toward the U.S. and Russia which would result in undermining Japan's sovereignty; and the reconstruction of regions and people's livelihoods affected by a chain of natural disasters.

Earlier on the same day, the new Abe Cabinet was inaugurated after the cabinet reshuffle.

In the reshuffled Cabinet, ministers who will remain in their posts are Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Aso Taro who is criticized as being irresponsible in regard to a series of alteration and coverup scandals, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide, Foreign Minister Kono Taro, Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Seko Hiroshige, and Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Motegi Toshimitsu. In addition, Ishii Keiichi from the Komei Party was retained as the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

The cabinet reshuffle this time saw 12 newcomers, including Education Minister Shibayama Masahiko, Defense Minister Iwaya Takeshi, and Regional Revitalization Minister Katayama Satuski who is the only woman minister in the new Abe Cabinet.

Past related articles:
> Abe reelected as LDP head for 3rd consecutive term, far from public endorsement: Shii [September 21, 2018]
> More than half of reshuffled Abe Cabinet members belong to pro-Yasukuni parliamentarians' group [August 4, 2017]