Two former prime ministers and a handful of possible future prime ministers all got seats in a new Japanese cabinet unveiled on Tuesday in an effort to boost the incumbent Yoshiro Mori's flagging fortunes. Hoping to repair his tattered image and his chances of prolonging his grip on power, Mori persuaded former prime minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to take a post in his new cabinet. Hashimoto, the leader of the largest faction within the LDP, will botgh oversee government reform and direct policy on Okinawa, where tens of thousands of U.S. troops are stationed. The economy will likely remain the most important issue that the new Cabinet will face. Although statistics released this week showed Japan's economy is growing, its recovery from a decade-old downturn is still seen as shaky.
Unemployment remains high, and consumer spending low.
Mori, whose own job security is in doubt given his low popularity ratings, also picked several ruling party politicians who have the potential to become prime minister. He has long been regarded as the front runner to replace Mori if he steps down abruptly. Further in the future, new Education Minister Nobutaka Machimura, at 56 the youngest of the 17 cabinet ministers whose average age is 63, may also have a shot at the top post. Tanaka told a television news program that her appointment had been quashed by the faction belonging to former prime minister Hashimoto. Mori took over as prime minister last April, when Keizo Obuchi suffered a stroke and died.