Aso elected Japan`s prime minister, forms Cabinet with close allies

TOKYO, Sept. 24 Kyodo - Liberal Democratic Party President Taro Aso on Wednesday became Japan's new
prime minister to succeed Yasuo Fukuda and formed a Cabinet that includes his
close allies and highlights his giving priority to the economy ahead of widely
expected general election.
Hoping to handle the divided Diet and allay public concerns over the nation's
flagging economy, the 68-year-old outspoken former foreign minister said, ''My
mission is to make Japan a bright and strong country. I will stand up to
difficult issues by drawing on all my experience.''
On the diplomatic front, he stressed the importance of participating in the
fight against terrorism by continuing Japan's refueling mission in the Indian
Ocean, reinforcing Japan-U.S. ties and dealing with problems involving North
Korea. But he did not elaborate on relations with China and other Asian
countries.
In an unusual move, Aso announced his 17-member Cabinet lineup by himself at
his first press conference as prime minister, apparently to demonstrate his
leadership.
To show that his Cabinet is prioritizing the economy, Aso appointed former LDP
policy chief Shoichi Nakagawa, 55, who advocates aggressive fiscal policies and
shares Aso's conservative views, as finance minister, doubling as financial
services minister.
Former education minister Hirofumi Nakasone, 62, was named foreign minister,
while Yasukazu Hamada, 52, who has served in defense-related posts in the past,
became defense minister.
Aso also appointed two of his four rivals in the LDP presidential race,
retaining Kaoru Yosano, 70, as economic and fiscal policy minister while
appointing former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, 51, as farm minister.
Meanwhile, 34-year-old Yuko Obuchi, daughter of the late Prime Minister Keizo
Obuchi, was appointed as minister in charge of tackling the declining
birthrate, becoming the youngest postwar Cabinet minister.
But Aso also appears to have rewarded those who supported his bid to become
prime minister, such as Nakagawa and Kunio Hatoyama, 60, a former justice
minister who was appointed as internal affairs and communications minister.
Former education minister Takeo Kawamura, 65, who assumed the post of chief
Cabinet secretary, also has close ties with Aso.
Aso stressed that he ''appointed the right people to the right place,'' while
admitting he largely had a general election in mind. ''Basically, we're going
to fight the election with these members,'' he said.
Although the current term of House of Representatives' members lasts through
next September, expectations are growing that Aso will call a general election
soon to take advantage of any rise in public support for the new
administration.
Aso is eager to seek an early enactment of a supplementary budget for the
current fiscal year before dissolving the lower house during the extraordinary
Diet session, which was convened Wednesday.
The budget is part of an emergency policy package designed to ease the negative
impact on the Japanese economy of rises in energy and raw material costs.
At the press conference, Aso reiterated his willingness to enact the budget,
but declined to comment on when exactly he aims to hold the election.
''I want to think about when to dissolve the lower house for a general
election, considering whether the opposition parties would engage in
deliberations or not,'' he said.
Unless the ruling parties win a comfortable majority in the general election,
the government and ruling coalition are likely to face difficulty in extending
Japan's antiterrorism refueling mission in the Indian Ocean before the special
law authorizing it expires in January.
While Aso has strong name recognition and is known for being popular with the
younger generation as a manga comic lover, he is expected to face an uphill
battle with the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan after both of his two
predecessors -- Shinzo Abe and Fukuda -- abruptly announced their resignations
after serving less than a year.
To pave the way for the launch of Aso's administration, Fukuda, 72, a bland and
moderate figure compared with the flamboyant and hawkish Aso, and his Cabinet
members resigned en masse Wednesday morning.
Recalling his 365 days in office, Fukuda said in a statement he was able to
''place a signpost'' toward conducting reforms, but admitted feeling ''a keen
responsibility for not being able to sufficiently act'' in managing the Diet.
In a parliamentary vote to pick Fukuda's successor, the opposition-dominated
House of Councillors elected DPJ leader Ichiro Ozawa, 66, as prime minister,
but the more powerful lower house, which has the final say in selecting the
prime minister, chose Aso.
The Diet has been divided since the DPJ overtook the LDP to become the largest
party in the upper house in an election in July last year.
Aso is the third leader from the LDP who has not faced a lower house election
since the ruling coalition of the LDP and the New Komeito party secured a
two-thirds majority in the lower house in September 2005 under former Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
After launching his Cabinet, Aso is scheduled to deliver a speech at the 63rd
session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. He will make a policy speech
to the Japanese parliament on Monday and take questions from party
representatives, possibly including Ozawa.
Among the new Cabinet lineup, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Yoichi
Masuzoe, 59, Environment Minister Tetsuo Saito, 56, of the New Komeito party,
Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai, 69, and Seiko Noda, 48,
state minister in charge of consumer affairs, were reappointed.
Lower house member Ryu Shionoya, 58, assumed the post of education minister,
while another lower house member, Tsutomu Sato, 56, took the post of head of
the National Public Safety Commission.
Aso also named former trade minister Akira Amari, 59, as state minister in
charge of administrative reform, Eisuke Mori, 60, as justice minister, and
Nariaki Nakayama, 65, as transport minister.
After nearly a year of struggle in the Diet and facing sluggish support
ratings, Fukuda suddenly announced his resignation on Sept. 1, leading the LDP
to hold a presidential election, in which five candidates including Aso ran.