As expected, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has completed his Cabinet reshuffle. Yet at a time of political tumult, there is much that is familiar in the new Cabinet and LDP leadership, and the means by which they were chosen. Despite being assaulted on all sides, Mr. Mori and the Liberal Democratic Party continue to practice politics-as-usual. It bodes ill for the new government's prospects, and the nation as well.
The reshuffle was expected after the Diet session ended last week. The reorganization of the bureaucracy, scheduled to go into effect in January, added to the momentum to put a new Cabinet in place. But the surprise resignation of Mr. Hiromu Nonaka as secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party hinted at more sweeping change than might have been anticipated. It was not to be.
Following the resignation of the Cabinet Tuesday morning, Mr. Mori named his new team. Many of the key players are familiar. Mr. Yohei Kono retains the foreign minister's portfolio, and former Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa continues to serve as minister of finance. Other carry-overs include Mrs. Chikage Ogi, head of the New Conservative Party, who will head the new Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry, Mr. Takeo Hiranuma, former head of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry who takes over the expanded Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, Environment Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda. Mr. Shizuka Kamei also retains his position as chairman of the party's Policy Research Council.