Considers elevating Arimura, who visited Yasukuni Shrine, to key party post

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi [EPA]
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi [EPA]

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering creating a dedicated cabinet post to push through a bill cutting the food consumption tax, her signature policy. The Mainichi Shimbun and other media outlets reported the move Thursday.

Under the plan, a single minister would be responsible for fielding questions on the food consumption tax cut bill, which the government hopes to pass during this autumn's extraordinary session of the Diet.

For now, sources say the finance minister is most likely to take on the role concurrently.

Japanese media reported that Takaichi plans to reshuffle the Liberal Democratic Party's senior leadership on Wednesday and reorganize her Cabinet on Sept. 17.

The upcoming personnel and Cabinet changes are expected to emphasize stability over sweeping change.

Takaichi is set to keep LDP heavyweights in their posts, including Deputy President Taro Aso, Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki, Policy Research Council Chairman Takayuki Kobayashi and Acting Secretary-General Koichi Hagiuda, sources said.

Key Cabinet members are also expected to stay on, including Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

Alongside this, Takaichi is coordinating plans to name LDP General Council Chair Haruko Arimura to a key post, either keeping her in her current role or bringing her into the Cabinet, the Mainichi reported, citing government and ruling party sources.

Arimura has won high marks from Takaichi for her skill in reconciling LDP lawmakers' views on the consumption tax cut.

She reportedly shares political convictions similar to Takaichi's as well. On Aug. 15 — Liberation Day in South Korea and the anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II — she visited Yasukuni Shrine together with other party leaders.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com