The new ministers hand-picked Friday by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda lack the star power or celebrity status needed to reverse the Democratic Party of Japan's dwindling popularity.
But the lineup is well-balanced and was chosen carefully to ensure that the ruling party can heal its internal rifts and unite, political analysts said.
Indeed, many of the new faces are low-profile politicians. But Norihiko Narita, a political science professor at Surugadai University in Saitama Prefecture, said that given their experience, each represents a practical choice made with an eye to implementing policy.