Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday announced that he may personally head the country’s Foreign Ministry until his government forms a new cabinet later this month. He also affirmed that he will begin to implement the political course announced before the general elections took place in the country with immediate effect.
Kishida’s plan to temporarily take over the role of Foreign Minister comes in light of the potential appointment of Toshimitsu Motegi, the current Foreign Minister of Japan, to the post of Secretary-General of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The influential post will allow Motegi a hand in shaping the country’s policy, among other things.
“Since I have gained the people’s mandate through the general elections, I now plan to speedily implement policies,” Kishida stated on Thursday, further adding “Until the new cabinet, I am thinking of working as Foreign Minister as well.”
Toshimitsu Motegi will reportedly assume the Secretary-General post of the Liberal Democratic Party on November 4 as LDP is slated to convene an executive board meeting for the same. Motegi will replace Akira Amari, who had occupied the position since September.
Meanwhile, Japan’s former Defence Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is being named as a possible candidate to take over the post of Foreign Minister in Kishida’s cabinet.
The Japanese Parliament is set to convene a special session next week on November 10 to officiate Fumio Kishida as the country’s Prime Minister. Thereafter, Kishida will formulate the cabinet which is expected to remain mostly unchanged besides naming a new head for the country’s Foreign Ministry.
