Some in the government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are calling on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to wait until late September before reshuffling his Cabinet and the LDP's leadership team.
Kishida, who is also president of the LDP, is considering the shake-up in mid-September, but some say there will not be enough time for him to prepare for such a personnel move as he is set to attend a string of events, including overseas trips, between next week and September.
While carefully considering when to call a general election, Kishida plans to use the reshuffle as an opportunity to boost his popularity, people familiar with his thinking said.