China- friendly lawmakers named to key Japanese posts
CABINET SHAKE- UP FUELS SPECULATION OF AN IMPENDING THAWIN CHILLY TIES WITH BEIJING
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe picked two veteran lawmakers with friendly ties to China for top party posts yesterday in an apparent signal of hope for a thaw in chilly ties with Beijing and a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The change in executives in Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party ( LDP) is part of a broad leadership rejig, including a cabinet reshuffle, which is aimed at strengthening party unity and polishing Abe’s image.
Abe’s new line- up faces a number of challenges, including how to repair ties with China that have been frayed by rows over disputed territory and Japan’s wartime history, and whether to go ahead with a planned sales tax rise next year despite signs the economy is faltering.
In a bid for party unity, the hawkish Abe tapped outgoing Justice Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, his predecessor as LDP leader, for the key party post of secretary- general, the LDP’s de facto election campaign chief.
Tanigaki, 69, is from a moderate wing of the LDP that favours better ties with China. He was also an architect of a plan to hike the sales tax in two stages to curb Japan’s huge public debt. Implementation of the second stage is now in doubt due to a string of gloomy economic data.
Veteran lawmaker Toshihiro Nikai, 75, who also has close ties with China, was appointed to a second top party post.
Outgoing administrative reform minister Tomomi Inada, 55, a close conservative ally of Abe, became LDP policy chief. “He is sending a strong message to China that he wants to improve ties. Not only Tanigaki but Nikai have good ties with China,” said political analyst Atsuo Ito.
Abe has signalled that he hopes tomeet Chinese leader Xi at an Asia- Pacific leaders gathering in Beijing in November.
“Japan and China both have responsibility for international peace and prosperity. It is vital to develop a forward- looking, cooperative relationship on common issues confronting international society,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference as China marked the anniversary of its Second World War victory over Japan. Abe retained core members such as Suga, Finance Minister Taro Aso, 73, Economics Minister Akira Amari, 65, and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, 57, signalling policy continuity.
Eto takes over
Former vice- defence minister Akinori Eto takes over from moderate conservative Itsunori Onodera as defence minister, Japanesemedia said. He also assumes the new post responsible for national security reform as Abe pushes ahead with efforts to ease the limits of Japan’s pacifist constitution on its military.
The little- known Eto, who is close to Abe, belongs to a group of lawmakers advocating visits to Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine forwar dead, although his office said he has not visited the shrine this year. Abe’s pilgrimage there in December outraged China, where the shrine is viewed as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism. Abehas since avoided visiting the shrine in person.
Yasuhisa Shiozaki, 63, a proponent of an overhaul of Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund ( GPIF), was selected to head the ministry of labour, health and welfare, which oversees GPIF, currently finalising plans to boost the weighting of domestic stocks in its portfolio.