Aso may reshuffle key LDP posts, Cabinet on Thursday

TOKYO, June 30 Kyodo -
Prime Minister Taro Aso suggested Tuesday he is considering reshuffling key
posts in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party and his Cabinet ahead of a general
election to be held by October.
The reshuffles could be conducted as early as Thursday in an effort to give the
LDP a boost amid slumping popularity for the Aso Cabinet, with the premier
eyeing holding the House of Representatives election in early August, according
to senior party lawmakers.
Although strong opposition to any reshuffles just before the lower house
dissolution and a general election remains within the LDP, Aso told reporters
Tuesday, ''I will decide on personnel matters. I have considered (appointing)
appropriate persons at an appropriate time.''
Aso is likely to make a final decision after checking the situation within the
LDP, the lawmakers said.
Among four top LDP posts, Aso plans to replace Secretary General Hiroyuki
Hosoda and Policy Research Council Chairman Kosuke Hori, the lawmakers said,
with speculation growing that former Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura
will replace Hosoda.
Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Yoichi Masuzoe and Yoshihide Suga, deputy
chairman of the party's Election Strategy Council, are also candidates for the
LDP's No. 2 post, they said.
Aso is considering appointing Hosoda or Hori as finance minister, while keeping
General Council Chairman Takashi Sasagawa and Election Strategy Council
Chairman Makoto Koga in their posts, the lawmakers said.
As for Policy Research Council chairman, the names of Masuzoe, agriculture
minister Shigeru Ishiba and Hiroyuki Sonoda, acting chairman of the Policy
Research Council, have been floated, they said.
Aso is also considering terminating multiple assignments for two ministers --
Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano who concurrently serves as economy and fiscal
policy minister, and National Public Safety Commission chief Tsutomu Sato who
also serves as internal affairs and communications minister.
The expected reshuffles will be finalized after the government has compiled the
guidelines for budget appropriation requests for fiscal 2010 on Wednesday, the
lawmakers said.
But they are most likely to take place Thursday if Aso goes ahead with the
plan, as he is expected to meet U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on Wednesday
evening, they said.
Meanwhile, Aso shrugged off moves by elements within the LDP to replace him
before the House of Representatives election and called for unity in the party,
which has trailed the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan in support
ratings in recent opinion polls.
''It is time for us to unite,'' he said.
==Kyodo