Ishiba Picks Iwaya as New Foreign Minister: Asahi

Japan’s incoming prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, is expected to appoint former Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya as the country’s next foreign minister.

According to a Sunday report by the Asahi newspaper, Iwaya, who served as defense chief from 2018 to 2019, played a key role in advising Ishiba during his successful campaign to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the report noted, although it did not cite specific sources for this information.

Ishiba, 67, secured the LDP leadership on Friday and announced plans to form his government on Tuesday, following a vote in the lower house of parliament, which is controlled by the LDP, to officially elect him as prime minister.

In addition to Iwaya’s expected role, Japanese media reported on Saturday that former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato would be appointed finance minister.

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Two sources with direct knowledge also told Reuters that Yoshimasa Hayashi is likely to continue as chief cabinet secretary, a crucial position responsible for government communications.

During a televised interview on Sunday, Ishiba did not provide specific details on his cabinet choices but hinted at the possibility of a snap election in the near future.

He also emphasized the need for Japan’s monetary policy to remain accommodative, suggesting a focus on keeping borrowing costs low to support the nation’s fragile economic recovery.

Though Ishiba had previously been an outspoken critic of the Bank of Japan’s aggressive monetary easing policies, his recent comments suggest he may be adopting a softer stance on the matter.

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Stephen Jesuwale

Jesuwale Stephen is a journalist who finished from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism. He is a distinctive writer, media strategist and also a Digital Marketer