Extraordinary General Council Meeting Held at Tokyo Headquarters on the Morning of the 7th to Finalize New Executive Lineup
Kyodo News: "Notable Appointment of Aso and Former Motegi Factions That Led to Election Victory"
Sanae Takaichi, the newly appointed president of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, has carried out a reshuffle of the party's senior leadership.
According to Kyodo News and Nihon Keizai Shimbun on October 7, the Liberal Democratic Party held an extraordinary General Council meeting at its Tokyo headquarters that morning and officially finalized the new executive lineup.
President Takaichi appointed former Prime Minister Taro Aso as vice president. Taro Aso is known as the head of the party's only remaining faction and played a so-called "kingmaker" role in the party presidential election held on October 4.
Additionally, Shunichi Suzuki, the General Council chair and Taro Aso's brother-in-law, was appointed as secretary-general, while Takayuki Kobayashi, a former minister in charge of economic security and a rival in the recent election, was named chair of the Policy Research Council. Kobayashi, like President Takaichi, is known for his strong conservative leanings.
Haruko Arimura, a lawmaker, was appointed as General Council chair, and Keiji Furuya, who played a key role in Takaichi's camp during the presidential election, was named head of the Election Strategy Committee.
President Takaichi selected Koichi Hagiuda, a lawmaker, as acting secretary-general to assist Secretary-General Suzuki. Hagiuda, a senior member of the former Abe faction, was previously suspended from party duties for one year due to involvement in a "slush fund scandal."
Former members of the Motegi faction were appointed as heads of the Organization Movement Headquarters and the Public Relations Headquarters. Toshimitsu Motegi, who previously led the Motegi faction and served as the party's secretary-general, is reportedly set to be appointed as foreign minister.
Although Motegi also ran in the recent election, he finished last among the five candidates in the first round of voting. He is said to have supported President Takaichi in the runoff.
Regarding the reshuffle, Kyodo News analyzed, "It is notable that President Takaichi has given key positions to the Aso faction and the former Motegi faction, both of which supported her victory in the presidential election."
Jiji Press commented, "President Takaichi has long been unaffiliated with any faction and is said to lack extensive connections within the party," adding, "This reshuffle strongly reflects merit-based appointments according to contributions made during the presidential election."
Jiji Press also reported that as President Takaichi's reliance on former Prime Minister Aso increases, some opposition parties are criticizing the move as "the beginning of a second Aso administration."
Meanwhile, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party and others continue to express a negative stance regarding the appointment of Hagiuda, who has been linked to the slush fund issue, to a party post.
President Takaichi is expected to be inaugurated as prime minister through a parliamentary designation election in mid-October.
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