Key members close to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, including Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, are likely to retain their posts in a Cabinet reshuffle that is planned for September, according to ruling lawmakers.
Abe sees the contributions of Aso, who doubles as finance minister, and top government spokesman Suga as vital in implementing October's scheduled consumption tax hike and in continuing his policies to spur economic growth as he pledged in the Upper House election campaign, the lawmakers said Monday.
The ruling coalition led by Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito secured a majority in Sunday's House of Councilors election. However, the prime minister's goal to revise the war-renouncing Constitution appears out of reach as he will lack sufficient votes to initiate the process.