Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori on Monday continued filling the slots of a new Cabinet that he plans to form today, deciding to retain the trade and industry minister and to appoint a new farm minister, political sources said.

Mori has decided to keep Takeo Hiranuma as his minister of international trade and industry and appoint Yoshio Yatsu as agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister when he reshuffles his administration, the sources said.

The reshuffle is being made in preparation for a major regrouping of government ministries and agencies that is slated to take place Jan. 6.

Mori is also trying to persuade Economic Planning Agency chief Taichi Sakaiya to remain, but Sakaiya has so far declined.

Monday's decision brings closer to completion the lineup of the new Cabinet. Mori has already decided to retain Foreign Minister Yohei Kono, Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, Construction Minister Chikage Ogi and Environment Agency chief Yoriko Kawaguchi.

Mori also plans to appoint Management and Coordination Agency chief Toranosuke Katayama as the posts and telecommunications and home affairs minister. The three departments will be merged into one during the ministry revamp.

Mori is also considering asking former Science and Technology Agency chief Makiko Tanaka, who is popular for her outspokenness, to join his Cabinet in an attempt to bolster his approval ratings, which have dropped below 20 percent, the sources said.

Some officials of the LDP are calling on Mori to appoint Nobutaka Machimura as education minister and head of the Science and Technology Agency, LDP sources said.

Fukuda told a news conference Monday that Mori plans to choose 17 ministers for his new Cabinet, putting priority on their ability to carry out policies.

He also said Mori plans to keep ministers who are in charge of issues that require continuity and will appoint people who he thinks will win public approval.

Each of the LDP factions has submitted a list of candidates for the 22 posts for the position of parliamentary vice minister. The vice ministers will become state secretaries in the January shakeup.