The Cabinet should be reshuffled in December to prepare for the consolidation of government ministries and agencies in January, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori said Wednesday.
Mori's remarks effectively mean the reshuffle will take place soon after Dec. 1, when an extraordinary Diet session to begin next Thursday is scheduled to end.
"Compilation of the budget for new ministries and agencies should be done under the new ministers and it would make better sense if these new ministers are able to explain (the budget) before the Diet," he said in an interview at the Prime Minister's Official Residence.