Japanese Ministers Resign to Pave Way For Cabinet ReshuffleJapanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who is set to reshuffle his cabinet Tuesday evening, accepted the resignation of ministers to be replaced in the reshuffle on the morning of Tuesday, December 5.The ministers tendered their resignation in a morning cabinet meeting. The cabinet reshuffle is expected to reduce the number of cabinet ministers to 17 from 18, in line with a government reorganization plan which will cut the number of government entities to 13 from 23. Mori, plagued with low public support, aims to strengthen his grip on power by forming the new cabinet. The reshuffle is his second since taking office in April, following one in July after a general election. Mori is expected to retain key ministers in the new cabinet, including Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, Foreign Minister Yohei Kono and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, a tentative cabinet lineup shows. |
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