Japan PM to launch cabinet next week

Japanese Prime Minister-elect Naoto Kan has held a meeting with his aides to decide on his cabinet, which is expected to be announced next week.

The Saturday meeting was held behind closed doors; however, it is believed that several key ministers from the previous government will retain their posts or be promoted, Kyodo news agency reported.

The new cabinet will be announced on Tuesday.

Kan is likely to promote Yoshihiko Noda to the finance minister and appoint Renho, a Democratic Party of Japan upper house lawmaker, as the minister in charge of consumer affairs.

Renho will replace Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party, who was sacked by former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama for refusing to sign a cabinet document on relocating a US Marine base in Okinawa.

Hatoyama’s failure to move the base off the island, as promised during his campaign, eventually led to his fall.

Yukio Edano is expected to replace Ichiro Ozawa as secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan.

Eight ministers — internal affairs and communications, justice, trade, transport, education, environment, public safety and finance — are likely to retain their post, according to the report.

Kan won the support of 291 out of the 420 Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers. His only rival, Osaka lower house legislator Shinji Tarutoko, received 129 votes on Friday.