Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday appointed new foreign and defense ministers and promoted a popular rising political star in a Cabinet reshuffle that fueled speculation over the prime minister’s successor.
The spectacular appointment as environment minister of the telegenic Shinjiro Koizumi, the 38-year-old son of much-loved former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, set tongues wagging in Tokyo political classes as the Abe era draws to a close.
“Abe intends to start an open race to pick the next prime minister or even the one after that,” SMBC Nikko Securities chief market economist Yoshimasa Maruyama said.
Photo: AFP
A darling of the Japanese media, Shinjiro Koizumi received blanket coverage for his recent marriage to television broadcaster Christel Takigawa, which was announced at the prime minister’s office.
He is the third-youngest minister appointed to the Cabinet in Japan since the end of World War II, in a country where seniority is prized in politics and many other walks of life.
Despite intense media spotlight, he has been coy on expressing his view on the issues of the day and there will be close scrutiny over his policies on nuclear power, particularly on whether he will break with his father’s anti-nuclear stance.
Abe is set to become Japan’s longest-serving prime minister in November, but is expected to step down at the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election in 2021 and jostling for the position is already beginning.
Japan’s new minister of foreign affairs is Toshimitsu Motegi, who was promoted as a reward for his work in negotiating a trade deal with the US.
Outgoing Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Taro Kono was shifted to the defense portfolio, in a move seen as reinforcing Tokyo’s hard line toward South Korea.
Abe retained the services of his trusted associate Taro Aso as deputy prime minister and minister of finance, as well as Yoshihide Suga as the chief Cabinet secretary.
Abe also kept key allies and aides within the Cabinet and top layers of the party to shore up his position for the next two years.
Among other key figures are former Olympic speed skater Seiko Hashimoto, who became the latest in a string of Olympic ministers ahead of the 2020 summer Games. Hashimoto is one of just two women out of 19 in the new cabinet despite Abe’s much-heralded “womenomics” program. His previous Cabinet included just one woman.
The other woman is Sanae Takaichi, appointed as minister of internal affairs and communications. She is seen as a hard-right nationalist, who regularly visits the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo that enrages South Korea and China.
The Taiwanese passport ranked 33rd in a global listing of passports by convenience this month, rising three places from last month’s ranking, but matching its position in January last year. The Henley Passport Index, an international ranking of passports by the number of designations its holder can travel to without a visa, showed that the Taiwan passport enables holders to travel to 139 countries and territories without a visa. Singapore’s passport was ranked the most powerful with visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227, according to the index published on Tuesday by UK-based migration investment consultancy firm Henley and Partners. Japan’s and
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: An official said that Guan Guan’s comments had gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC China-born media influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China content that threatens national security, the National Immigration Agency said yesterday. Guan Guan has said many controversial things in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” while expressing hope for expedited “reunification.” The agency received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification last year. After investigating, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and account for her actions. Guan Guan appeared as required,
Japan and the Philippines yesterday signed a defense pact that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a survival-threatening situation for Japan, triggering a military response. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East and South China
A strong cold air mass is expected to arrive tonight, bringing a change in weather and a drop in temperature, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The coldest time would be early on Thursday morning, with temperatures in some areas dipping as low as 8°C, it said. Daytime highs yesterday were 22°C to 24°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and about 25°C to 28°C in the central and southern regions, it said. However, nighttime lows would dip to about 15°C to 16°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as the northeast, and 17°C to 19°C elsewhere, it said. Tropical Storm Nokaen, currently
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