The Yomiuri Shimbun
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda decided Thursday that he would reshuffle his Cabinet on Friday, according to sources.
Fukuda is to make a final decision on what would be the first reshuffle under his administration after meeting with New Komeito leader Akihiro Ota on Friday morning.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura likely will remain in his current position, the sources said.
The reshuffle is expected to be drastic, with more than half of Cabinet members likely to be replaced, according to the sources.
The prime minister also intends to reshuffle key Liberal Democratic Party posts whose terms expire in September.
Fukuda, who is suffering from low Cabinet approval ratings, made his decision to reshuffle the Cabinet under pressure from LDP members, the sources said.
But observers warn that if the reshuffle fails to boost his administration, there could be calls from New Komeito members and other lawmakers for him to step down.
Fukuda told reporters at the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday night: "I've had a number of thoughts [about the reshuffle] and have [some ideas] in mind."
"In Friday's meeting [with Ota], I'd like to have talks on the political schedule in the near future and other matters. I'm going to decide everything there," Fukuda said. "What's on the agenda is how to tackle policy issues, so I'd like to talk [with Ota] on things such as what framework we should have," he added.
Machimura and Fukuda held talks for nearly two hours at the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday night.
New Komeito likely will retain one post in the Cabinet, sources said, adding that the party is set to seek the replacement of Construction and Transport Minister Tetsuzo Fuyushiba.
(Aug. 1, 2008)
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