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155966
Wed, 01/05/2011 - 12:07
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http://m.oananews.org//node/155966
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Japan Cabinet Shakeup Expected for Mid-Jan
Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press) - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan will reshuffle his cabinet and the Democratic Party of Japan's top leadership team as early as Jan. 14, DPJ sources said Tuesday.
Kan hopes to launch the new cabinet and DPJ team soon after the annual party convention slated for Jan. 13, the sources said.
At the same time, the DPJ will consider moving the date for
convening the next ordinary session of the Diet to Jan. 28 from the expected Jan. 21, they said.
The focal point in any personnel changes would be the fate of Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku, the target of a censure motion adopted by the opposition-controlled House of Councillors last November.
But Kan is still considering whether to replace him, the sources said.
At his New Year news conference on Tuesday, Kan said he would like to remodel the cabinet and the DPJ leadership team in order to ensure that the government's fiscal 2011 budget plan is enacted swiftly.
But he did not disclose any details of the upcoming shakeups.
This is apparently because it is still unclear whether former DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa will appear before the House of Representatives' ethics panel.
Another reason is that Kan remains undecided on how to treat
Sengoku, who has played a key role in the current cabinet.
At the news conference, the prime minister said cabinet members do not necessarily have to resign after being censured by the Upper House.
Opposition parties, including the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito, are poised to boycott Diet debates attended by Sengoku and transport minister Sumio Mabuchi, another cabinet member censured by the Upper House.
Such a situation would hinder efforts to pass the budget and
related legislation, Kan's top priority in the coming Diet session, by the time the new fiscal year begins on April 1.
The Upper House passed censure motions against the two ministers chiefly for their poor handling of an incident in which a Chinese fishing boat crashed into Japan Coast Guard ships near the disputed East China Sea islands of Senkaku, known as Diaoyu in China, in September.
Some senior DPJ members have said they would tolerate the
replacement of Sengoku in order to prevent confusion in the Diet.
The DPJ will consider giving Sengoku a key party post, such as secretary-general, if he really has to resign, the DPJ sources said.
Eyes are currently on who Kan may name to fill the post of justice minister in the expected cabinet reshuffle. Sengoku has been doubling up as justice minister since the resignation of Minoru Yanagida last November.
Also watched closely is who will gain the portfolio of farm
minister. Kan must decide whether to replace current minister Michihiko Kano before he makes a key decision in June on whether to join negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact.
As for DPJ appointments, many party members call for strengthening the Diet affairs committee because the party's efforts to secure cooperation with the opposition camp ended in failure in the latest Diet business.
The DPJ hopes to delay the date for convening the next session because it wants to give cabinet newcomers time to prepare for
deliberations, the sources said.
The date could be moved to Jan. 27, one day earlier than expected by many, depending on future developments. Kan is hoping to attend an annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at the Swiss resort of Davos in late January, they noted.
Kan hopes to launch the new cabinet and DPJ team soon after the annual party convention slated for Jan. 13, the sources said.
At the same time, the DPJ will consider moving the date for
convening the next ordinary session of the Diet to Jan. 28 from the expected Jan. 21, they said.
The focal point in any personnel changes would be the fate of Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku, the target of a censure motion adopted by the opposition-controlled House of Councillors last November.
But Kan is still considering whether to replace him, the sources said.
At his New Year news conference on Tuesday, Kan said he would like to remodel the cabinet and the DPJ leadership team in order to ensure that the government's fiscal 2011 budget plan is enacted swiftly.
But he did not disclose any details of the upcoming shakeups.
This is apparently because it is still unclear whether former DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa will appear before the House of Representatives' ethics panel.
Another reason is that Kan remains undecided on how to treat
Sengoku, who has played a key role in the current cabinet.
At the news conference, the prime minister said cabinet members do not necessarily have to resign after being censured by the Upper House.
Opposition parties, including the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito, are poised to boycott Diet debates attended by Sengoku and transport minister Sumio Mabuchi, another cabinet member censured by the Upper House.
Such a situation would hinder efforts to pass the budget and
related legislation, Kan's top priority in the coming Diet session, by the time the new fiscal year begins on April 1.
The Upper House passed censure motions against the two ministers chiefly for their poor handling of an incident in which a Chinese fishing boat crashed into Japan Coast Guard ships near the disputed East China Sea islands of Senkaku, known as Diaoyu in China, in September.
Some senior DPJ members have said they would tolerate the
replacement of Sengoku in order to prevent confusion in the Diet.
The DPJ will consider giving Sengoku a key party post, such as secretary-general, if he really has to resign, the DPJ sources said.
Eyes are currently on who Kan may name to fill the post of justice minister in the expected cabinet reshuffle. Sengoku has been doubling up as justice minister since the resignation of Minoru Yanagida last November.
Also watched closely is who will gain the portfolio of farm
minister. Kan must decide whether to replace current minister Michihiko Kano before he makes a key decision in June on whether to join negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact.
As for DPJ appointments, many party members call for strengthening the Diet affairs committee because the party's efforts to secure cooperation with the opposition camp ended in failure in the latest Diet business.
The DPJ hopes to delay the date for convening the next session because it wants to give cabinet newcomers time to prepare for
deliberations, the sources said.
The date could be moved to Jan. 27, one day earlier than expected by many, depending on future developments. Kan is hoping to attend an annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at the Swiss resort of Davos in late January, they noted.
