TOKYO — Japan’s incoming Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, is expected to appoint former Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya as the country’s new foreign minister, according to the Asahi newspaper. This decision is likely to be confirmed when Ishiba forms his government this week.
Iwaya, who served as Japan’s defence chief from 2018 to 2019, played a crucial role in shaping Ishiba’s winning campaign to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the Asahi reported, without naming its sources. Ishiba, who secured the LDP leadership on Friday, will officially form his government after the lower house of parliament votes on the new prime minister, expected on Tuesday.
In addition to Iwaya’s potential appointment, media outlets have reported that former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato will be named as finance minister, while Yoshimasa Hayashi is expected to retain his post as chief cabinet secretary, a key role that includes serving as the government’s top spokesperson.
While Ishiba has not yet confirmed his cabinet lineup, he indicated during a televised interview on Sunday that he may consider calling for a snap election in the near future. Ishiba also emphasized that Japan’s monetary policy should remain accommodative, signaling his intent to keep borrowing costs low to support the country’s fragile economic recovery, despite his previous criticisms of the Bank of Japan’s aggressive monetary easing policies.