Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reshuffled his Cabinet for the third time Monday. Although he changed 10 of the 18 Cabinet members, Mr. Noda has failed to present a long-term policy goal or a future vision for Japan as it faces a rapidly graying population and difficult diplomatic issues.
Only short-term goals are clear — to prepare the Democratic Party of Japan for the next Lower House election, expected within a year, and to prevent Diet members from leaving the DPJ. If nine more leave the party, it will lose a majority in the Lower House.
Mr. Noda picked DPJ policy chief Seiji Maehara as national strategy minister and former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka as education minister.