The Democratic Party of Japan on Tuesday formally endorsed new executives and a "shadow Cabinet" under newly elected leader Seiji Maehara, letting many junior members and those in the party's middle ranks assume key posts.
The launch of the new party leadership and shadow Cabinet follow Saturday's election of Maehara, 43, as the new DPJ chief. Maehara beat former party leader Naoto Kan, 58, by just two votes in a race aimed at giving a shot in the arm to the party, still reeling from its miserable showing in the Sept. 11 general election.
Pledging to place "the right person in the right place" to revamp the largest opposition party, Maehara picked conservative former party leader Yukio Hatoyama, 58, as his secretary general.