ID :
142434
Fri, 09/17/2010 - 00:45
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/142434
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Okada to take up DPJ`s No. 2 post, Kan to reshuffle Cabinet on Fri.
TOKYO, Sept. 17 Kyodo -
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said Thursday he will take up the Democratic
Party of Japan's No. 2 post of secretary general, while Prime Minister Naoto
Kan puts the final touches to the new lineups of the ruling party's leadership
and his Cabinet.
''I believe Mr. Okada is a reliable person to be in charge of party affairs in
this difficult period. So I asked him,'' Kan told reporters at the premier's
office after the 57-year-old minister accepted the appointment.
Kan, who was reelected as head of the DPJ earlier this week, said he will try
to reshuffle his Cabinet by the end of Friday, after he wins approval for the
party's leadership lineup at a meeting of all of its parliamentarians.
Kan is trying to do a balancing act of giving key posts to DPJ members who are
supportive of him as well as to those who sympathize with Ichiro Ozawa, a DPJ
heavyweight who was his sole challenger in Tuesday's DPJ presidential election.
According to government sources, Kan has asked Ozawa, as well as Azuma
Koshiishi, leader of the DPJ's upper house caucus who is close to Ozawa, to
become an acting leader of the DPJ.
But questions remain as to whether Kan can actually satisfy both camps given
that many of his picks for the party leadership and his Cabinet so far are his
own supporters.
Okada, who is to replace Yukio Edano, is drawing particular attention as to
whether he can help unite the party given that he was openly critical of Ozawa
during the two-week campaign period for DPJ head.
Okada, who was himself DPJ leader between May 2004 and September 2005, had
criticized Ozawa over the political funds scandal in which he has been
embroiled.
''I feel uncomfortable with someone who could be indicted becoming the party
leader and prime minister,'' Okada said at a news conference last month, in
reference to Ozawa who has been dogged by a scandal involving his political
organization over alleged fund reporting irregularities.
Asked how he would treat pro-Ozawa party members in terms of giving
assignments, Okada said Thursday it is ''natural to put the right people in the
right job without thinking of who is on whose side.''
Okada, who was said to be hoping to stay on as foreign minister, said he has
made up his mind to take the No. 2 post to advance the goals sought by the DPJ
since it swept to power last year.
He said he will help make it possible for every Diet member of the DPJ to show
their abilities and approach the opposition parties for a sincere dialogue in a
bid to avoid a gridlock in a divided parliament where the DPJ has a majority
only in the lower house following its election setback in July.
Kan highly values Okada's political experience and scandal-free image. Like
Kan, Okada has advocated a cleaner and more open political system for years.
He was DPJ secretary general before becoming foreign minister in September last
year, when the party took power via winning a lower house election by a
landslide.
As to other senior DPJ posts, Koichiro Gemba told reporters Thursday after
holding talks with Kan that he will remain as policy chief of the party and
will continue to be part of the Cabinet.
Gemba, who now doubles as state minister for civil service reform, will be
minister in charge of national strategy, according to the sources.
Kan has appointed Yoshio Hachiro as DPJ Diet affairs chief and current
Secretary General Edano as acting secretary general.
With regard to Cabinet posts, Kan decided Thursday that former Tottori Gov.
Yoshihiro Katayama, who is now a professor at Keio University, will serve as
internal affairs minister.
Kan is planning to retain Shozaburo Jimi, a member of the People's New Party,
as financial services minister following a request to do so by the DPJ's junior
coalition partner, the sources said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku, Kan's right-hand man in the Cabinet,
and Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda will remain in their posts.
Kan also plans to keep Renho as state minister for administrative reform.
Renho, a TV presenter-turned-politician who goes by her first name, is one of
the most popular Cabinet members among voters. She has gained prominence for
taking a strong position on cutting wasteful public spending.
Tomiko Okazaki, a DPJ member in the upper house, is expected to enter the
Cabinet, the party sources said.
==Kyodo
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said Thursday he will take up the Democratic
Party of Japan's No. 2 post of secretary general, while Prime Minister Naoto
Kan puts the final touches to the new lineups of the ruling party's leadership
and his Cabinet.
''I believe Mr. Okada is a reliable person to be in charge of party affairs in
this difficult period. So I asked him,'' Kan told reporters at the premier's
office after the 57-year-old minister accepted the appointment.
Kan, who was reelected as head of the DPJ earlier this week, said he will try
to reshuffle his Cabinet by the end of Friday, after he wins approval for the
party's leadership lineup at a meeting of all of its parliamentarians.
Kan is trying to do a balancing act of giving key posts to DPJ members who are
supportive of him as well as to those who sympathize with Ichiro Ozawa, a DPJ
heavyweight who was his sole challenger in Tuesday's DPJ presidential election.
According to government sources, Kan has asked Ozawa, as well as Azuma
Koshiishi, leader of the DPJ's upper house caucus who is close to Ozawa, to
become an acting leader of the DPJ.
But questions remain as to whether Kan can actually satisfy both camps given
that many of his picks for the party leadership and his Cabinet so far are his
own supporters.
Okada, who is to replace Yukio Edano, is drawing particular attention as to
whether he can help unite the party given that he was openly critical of Ozawa
during the two-week campaign period for DPJ head.
Okada, who was himself DPJ leader between May 2004 and September 2005, had
criticized Ozawa over the political funds scandal in which he has been
embroiled.
''I feel uncomfortable with someone who could be indicted becoming the party
leader and prime minister,'' Okada said at a news conference last month, in
reference to Ozawa who has been dogged by a scandal involving his political
organization over alleged fund reporting irregularities.
Asked how he would treat pro-Ozawa party members in terms of giving
assignments, Okada said Thursday it is ''natural to put the right people in the
right job without thinking of who is on whose side.''
Okada, who was said to be hoping to stay on as foreign minister, said he has
made up his mind to take the No. 2 post to advance the goals sought by the DPJ
since it swept to power last year.
He said he will help make it possible for every Diet member of the DPJ to show
their abilities and approach the opposition parties for a sincere dialogue in a
bid to avoid a gridlock in a divided parliament where the DPJ has a majority
only in the lower house following its election setback in July.
Kan highly values Okada's political experience and scandal-free image. Like
Kan, Okada has advocated a cleaner and more open political system for years.
He was DPJ secretary general before becoming foreign minister in September last
year, when the party took power via winning a lower house election by a
landslide.
As to other senior DPJ posts, Koichiro Gemba told reporters Thursday after
holding talks with Kan that he will remain as policy chief of the party and
will continue to be part of the Cabinet.
Gemba, who now doubles as state minister for civil service reform, will be
minister in charge of national strategy, according to the sources.
Kan has appointed Yoshio Hachiro as DPJ Diet affairs chief and current
Secretary General Edano as acting secretary general.
With regard to Cabinet posts, Kan decided Thursday that former Tottori Gov.
Yoshihiro Katayama, who is now a professor at Keio University, will serve as
internal affairs minister.
Kan is planning to retain Shozaburo Jimi, a member of the People's New Party,
as financial services minister following a request to do so by the DPJ's junior
coalition partner, the sources said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku, Kan's right-hand man in the Cabinet,
and Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda will remain in their posts.
Kan also plans to keep Renho as state minister for administrative reform.
Renho, a TV presenter-turned-politician who goes by her first name, is one of
the most popular Cabinet members among voters. She has gained prominence for
taking a strong position on cutting wasteful public spending.
Tomiko Okazaki, a DPJ member in the upper house, is expected to enter the
Cabinet, the party sources said.
==Kyodo
