Japan's Takaichi keeps key ministers in cabinet reshuffle

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi retained her key ministers on Thursday in a cabinet reshuffle aimed at solidifying the ruling coalition and advancing a food tax cut despite concerns over how it will be financed.

Prime ministers in Japan routinely shuffle their cabinets to refresh the government's public image and to distribute ministerial posts to loyal supporters and experienced lawmakers from the same party.

But Takaichi -- who has unusually high approval ratings nearly a year into office -- kept core members of her team, according to a cabinet list announced by her righthand man and top government spokesman Minoru Kihara.

They include Kihara, finance minister Satsuki Katayama, foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi and defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi.

The prime minister also retained key economic ministers, including trade and industry minister Ryosei Akazawa, who has led Japan's tariff negotiations with the United States, and economic growth strategy minister Minoru Kiuchi, who favours active fiscal spending.

Under finance minister Katayama, Japan has repeatedly intervened in the foreign exchange market to prop up the falling yen, including a rare joint intervention with the United States.

The small-scale reshuffle comes as Takaichi navigates rising inflation and a weak yen while pursuing a consumption tax cut on food starting next year.

While Takaichi's tax cut pledge is popular among voters, economists have criticised the plan, warning that she has failed to identify around five trillion yen ($32 billion) needed annually to fund it.

Takaichi's policy of expansive government spending has also rattled the markets, pushing Japan's benchmark bond yield to around 3.0 percent, its highest level in three decades.

On defence, Koizumi remains tasked with updating Japan's foundational national defence strategy documents alongside implementing a push to expand defence spending.

"Revising our strategy is something that has a major impact on Japan's security and on the entire region," Koizumi told reporters after he was reappointed.

He said the defence ministry "must marshal all our resources and move forward with a greater speed" with the review with "a strong sense of urgency".

Takaichi also assigned the post of minister in charge of regulatory reform to Hiroshi Nakatsuka, 70, a member of the LDP's coalition partner Japan Innovation Party.

The JIP formed a ruling alliance with Takaichi's conservative Liberal Democratic Party in October, but until now had chosen not to join her cabinet.

The premier will hold a press conference later in the day after the reshuffled Takaichi cabinet is formally launched following an attestation ceremony at the Imperial Palace.