Prime Minister Taro Aso's decision to bolster his depleted Cabinet appeared to be strategy as usual and his apparent inability to change the Liberal Democratic Party leadership is a sign party bigwigs still hold sway, but neither may matter in the looming general election, pundits said Wednesday.

Hidekazu Kawai, professor of international politics at Gakushuin University in Tokyo, said the Cabinet additions highlight Aso's limited authority in personnel decisions despite his being LDP president.

"The biggest point was who he would find to replace (LDP Secretary General Hiroyuki) Hosoda," said Kawai. "But he could only (add to) the Cabinet."