TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio plans to name economy minister Koichi Hagiuda as chairman of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Policy Research Council, sources familiar with the matter said.

The appointment of Hagiuda to the key party post comes as part of Kishida’s plan to reshuffle his cabinet and the LDP leadership team on Wednesday. Kishida is president of the party.

Toshiaki Endo, chairman of the LDP’s Election Strategy Committee, is likely to be named chairman of the party’s General Council, the sources said.

Hiroshi Moriyama, former parliamentary affairs chief at the LDP, has emerged as a candidate for the post of chairman of the Election Strategy Committee, the sources said.

Hagiuda belongs to the LDP’s largest faction that was previously led by the late Prime Minister ABE Shinzo and was known as a close aide to Abe.

Endo, a senior member of an LDP group led by former Secretary-General Sadakazu Tanigaki, has friendly ties with LDP Vice President Taro Aso and Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi.

Moriyama leads his own faction that is nonmainstream under the Kishida administration. He has close ties with former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and former Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai.

Kishida is also considering naming Sanae Takaichi, chairwoman of the LDP’s Policy Research Council, to his cabinet, the sources said.

JIJI Press