Japan's new leader unveils cabinet ahead of snap election
Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba unveiled his cabinet as he seeks to heal party divisions and secure a national mandate with an Oct. 27 snap election.
TOKYO — Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday unveiled his cabinet as he seeks to heal party divisions and secure a national mandate with an Oct. 27 snap election.
The 67-year-old former defense minister, who last week won a close-fought contest to lead the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was confirmed earlier in the day as prime minister by parliament.
He was scheduled to hold his first news conference later in the day in Tokyo.
The Ishiba administration’s approach to diplomacy with Japan’s closest ally, the United States, will be in focus, as he has repeatedly called for a more balanced relationship with Washington.
He has also proposed creating an Asian version of the collective security group NATO to deter China, an idea that could draw ire from Beijing and has already been dismissed by a senior U.S. official as hasty.
Rating: 5