Four newcomers were appointed to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan's Cabinet in a reshuffle today. Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku is replaced by Yukio Edano, who is current deputy secretary-general of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Kaoru Yosano, a former finance minister, will be Japan's new minister in charge of economic and fiscal policies. Yosano, 72, a fiscal hawk and known advocate of raising Japan's 5 percent sales tax, said earlier that he will leave the country's newest opposition party he founded last year and join Kan's Cabinet.Another two newcomers are Satsuki Eda, a former upper house president, who will become justice minister, and Kansei Nakano, a former upper house vice president, who is named as National Public Safety Commission chief.Kan kept most of the Cabinet posts including the foreign and defence portfolios unchanged.
News On AIR | January 14, 2011 9:06 PM
Japan reshuffles cabinet appoints 4 newcomers