Japan’s prime minister has reshuffled his cabinet for the first time since the assassination of Shinzo Abe last month amid dwindling public approval and resurgent tensions between the US and China.
The move by Fumio Kishida was seen as an attempt to shift his government from under the former leader’s shadow while retaining the support of Abe’s powerful former faction. The reshuffle, say analysts, leaves Japan on course to expand defence spending and restart its nuclear power plants.
“Kishida has been moving away from Abe since earlier this year, and Abe’s death last month prompted that move to accelerate,” said Takao Toshikawa, a veteran political analyst.