Home
News
In Focus
Business
Metro
Nation
World
Sports
Feature
Opinion
View more »Opinion Columns
Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
Restaurants get off to a quick start thanks to game-changing policies
High service charges on event ticket refunds call for further regulation
Sunday
- Subscribe
Related News
Aso appoints new ministers in reshuffle
Source: Agencies |
July 2, 2009, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
JAPAN'S prime minister appointed two ruling party legislators to Cabinet posts yesterday in a largely cosmetic measure to relieve the burden on over-worked ministers and boost his ratings among voters.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, 48, a Harvard-educated former defense minister, was appointed minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy. Motoo Hayashi, 62, who is not related to the other new minister, became minister in charge of national public safety - a post that he has held before.
The Cabinet positions were previously held by ministers who each handled more than one portfolio. Prime Minister Taro Aso said the appointments were intended to relieve their workload. "We feel that these changes were needed to make for a proper Cabinet," Aso told reporters.
Aso has been fighting to cling to his job amid public disenchantment over the economic downturn and political scandals. Support ratings for Aso's Cabinet fell to the single digits in February before recovering to around 20 percent in response to scandals involving opposition leaders.
Asked by a reporter if the reshuffle could improve his popularity, Aso said that was not for him to decide.
Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party, said the reshuffle was mere posturing and practically meaningless, coming just weeks before elections due by September. "The Aso government is already at the terminal stage and is falling apart. What is the reshuffle for at the last minute?" she said.
Japanese media have speculated that Aso might change the leadership in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, roles that are separate from but more powerful than ministers.
The Kyodo News agency said Aso had to scrap plans to change the top party posts after opposition from party heavyweights, underscoring discordance in the party and his waning influence.
The main opposition Democratic Party, fighting scandals of its own, has not been able to loosen the grip on power of the LDP, which has ruled Japan almost continuously for more than half a century.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, 48, a Harvard-educated former defense minister, was appointed minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy. Motoo Hayashi, 62, who is not related to the other new minister, became minister in charge of national public safety - a post that he has held before.
The Cabinet positions were previously held by ministers who each handled more than one portfolio. Prime Minister Taro Aso said the appointments were intended to relieve their workload. "We feel that these changes were needed to make for a proper Cabinet," Aso told reporters.
Aso has been fighting to cling to his job amid public disenchantment over the economic downturn and political scandals. Support ratings for Aso's Cabinet fell to the single digits in February before recovering to around 20 percent in response to scandals involving opposition leaders.
Asked by a reporter if the reshuffle could improve his popularity, Aso said that was not for him to decide.
Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party, said the reshuffle was mere posturing and practically meaningless, coming just weeks before elections due by September. "The Aso government is already at the terminal stage and is falling apart. What is the reshuffle for at the last minute?" she said.
Japanese media have speculated that Aso might change the leadership in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, roles that are separate from but more powerful than ministers.
The Kyodo News agency said Aso had to scrap plans to change the top party posts after opposition from party heavyweights, underscoring discordance in the party and his waning influence.
The main opposition Democratic Party, fighting scandals of its own, has not been able to loosen the grip on power of the LDP, which has ruled Japan almost continuously for more than half a century.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
