Japan's incoming 1st female premier reshuffles ruling party leadership

ANKARA

Japan's incoming first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday reshuffled the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership, appointing veteran lawmakers as the party's top executives but failing to reach an agreement with long-time ally the Komeito party.

Former Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, 72, will be the party's No. 2 position of secretary general, with former Prime Minister Taro Aso, 85, who supported Takaichi in the LDP leadership election, serving as vice president, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

Former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 50, has been named as the new chief policymaker.

Kobayashi was one of the four candidates who lost in the presidential contest held over the weekend on Saturday.

Haruko Arimura, 55, a former women's empowerment minister, was picked to head the decision-making General Council, while Keiji Furuya, 72, was tapped as election strategy chief.

Former industry minister Koichi Hagiuda, 62, who was one of the LDP lawmakers implicated in a high-profile political slush fund scandal, has been picked as an executive acting secretary general to assist Suzuki.

"We will overcome this difficult situation and live up to people's expectations by unifying the party," Suzuki told a joint news conference with other new party officials, given the split of the LDP lawmakers' vote in the presidential election.

- Prolonged talks with Komeito party

Takaichi is on course to be elected as Japan's first female prime minister at an extraordinary parliamentary session later this month to succeed Shigeru Ishiba, her predecessor as LDP chief.

The 64-year-old former internal affairs minister is a staunch conservative and the first female president of the LDP since its founding in 1955.

Following the previous two national elections, the LDP lost its majority in both chambers of parliament under Ishiba, forcing the new party leadership to engage in policy consultations with opposition parties.

The opposition Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) is widely regarded as the LDP's potential coalition partner due to their similar conservative views.

Takaichi, however, was unable to reach an agreement with Tetsuo Saito, the head of its Komeito, to keep the coalition together.

The LDP and Komeito have long been allies in parliament, but Takaichi would need support from outside the coalition to secure the required 233 votes in the lower house to form a majority government.

Komeito is "wary" of Takaichi on issues involving migrants, as well as ties with China and South Korea.

According to the Mainichi newspaper, Takaichi "secretly" met with DPFP chief Yuichiro Tamaki on Monday as the new LDP chief aims to expand the framework of the LDP-led coalition to avoid a minority government.

Upbeat over the incoming prime minister, Japan's stocks saw record gains.

The Nikkei stock index closed at an all-time high for a third straight trading day—up 6.12 points, or 0.01%, from Monday to 47,950.88.

US President Donald Trump also congratulated Takaichi, describing her as a "person of wisdom."

"Japan has just elected its first female Prime Minister, a highly respected person of great wisdom and strength. This is tremendous news for the incredible people of Japan. Congratulations to all," Trump said on his Socialtruth platform.

In response, Takaichi, in a post on the US social media company X, said she "truly" hopes to work together with Trump to make the Japan-US alliance "even stronger & more prosperous, and to advance a Free and Open Indo-Pacific."

*Writing by Aamir Latif