Japan's New Prime Minister Kishida Launches Cabinet

Tokyo, Oct. 4 (Jiji Press)--Japan's new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida launched his cabinet on Monday hours after being elected to the top government post in an extraordinary session of parliament, vowing to realize a "new capitalism." Kishida, the nation's 100th prime minister, inaugurated the cabinet under a coalition between his Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, following an Imperial investiture ceremony for him and an attestation ceremony for his new cabinet ministers at the Imperial Palace. In his inaugural press conference, held at the prime minister's office, Kishida, 64, said he plans to dissolve the House of Representatives on Oct. 14 to call an election for the powerful lower chamber of parliament on Oct. 31, with the official campaign period starting on Oct. 19. While putting top priority on measures against the novel coronavirus, Kishida said he will establish a new council to realize a new capitalism. "This is the cabinet to create a new era together," he said. "We will create a new era with you." On his idea of a new capitalism, Kishida said, "The concept is to bring about a virtuous circle of growth and distribution and develop a new society after the coronavirus pandemic is contained." The new council will come up with specific ways to correct disparities and transform the society, he said. The prime minister said he has instructed his cabinet ministers to draw up an economic stimulus package quickly. "We will consider plans to provide cash benefits individually to those in vulnerable positions," he said. He also said his government will work on increasing incomes for nurses, care-givers and nursery workers. He underlined a need to review financial income taxation. Kishida ordered relevant cabinet ministers to present the overall picture of the government's COVID-19 measures to promote vaccinations, secure necessary medical care systems and expand testing capacities. "The basic policy stance (of my administration) is to tackle the pandemic by always anticipating the worst case scenario, while providing careful explanations," he said. To focus on the Lower House election, Kishida will attend online, instead of in person, a summit of the Group of 20 major economies set for Oct. 30-31 in Rome and a summit of the 26th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP26, scheduled for Nov. 1-2 in Britain. Before the inauguration of his cabinet, Kishida, also president of the LDP, held talks with Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of Komeito. For his government, Kishida selected former education minister Hirokazu Matsuno, 59, as chief cabinet secretary. Matsuno doubles as minister in charge of the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago and as minister tasked with reducing Okinawa Prefecture's burden of hosting U.S. military bases. Of the 20 cabinet ministers, 13 occupied a ministerial post for the first time. Former Parliamentary Vice Defense Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 46, assumed the newly created post of minister for economic security. Shigeyuki Goto, 65, acting chairman of the LDP Policy Research Council, was named health minister, in charge of pandemic response. Former LDP General Council Chairman Shunichi Suzuki, 68, became finance minister. Komeito deputy leader Tetsuo Saito, 69, took the post of minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism. Economic revitalization minister Daishiro Yamagiwa, 53, is in charge of policies related to the new capitalism, as well as novel coronavirus and health care crisis management. Digital transformation minister Karen Makishima, 44, concurrently serves as minister for administrative and regulatory reforms. Seiko Noda, 61, was given the post of minister for measures to address the low birthrate. She also serves as minister in charge of regional revitalization, policies related to children as well as the issues of loneliness and isolation. END