TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio, who is also president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is considering reshuffling his cabinet and the party’s leadership around mid-September, several government and party sources said Friday.

Kishida apparently aims to strengthen his administration through personnel changes at a time when his cabinet’s approval ratings are on a downward trend, due chiefly to a series of problems related to the My Number personal identification system.

The prime minister will make a final decision on the matter after examining his diplomatic schedule and other factors, according to the sources.

Within the LDP, there are strong hopes for personnel changes in line with the expiration of the terms of the current party executives in September.

On Friday, Kishida told reporters, “I haven’t decided anything at this point.”

The prime minister has instructed relevant ministers to compile an interim report on the My Number problems in early August. Therefore, a cabinet and LDP leadership reshuffle is “impossible before the bon (summer holiday) period” in mid-August, a government source said.

In late August, after the bon period, Kishida is expected to visit the United States for a trilateral summit among Japan, the United States and South Korea, while ministries and agencies will submit budget requests for fiscal 2024.

Given these schedules, an LDP executive said, “Personnel changes are likely in September.”

Still, September is packed with diplomatic events, including Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related meetings in Indonesia from Sept. 4 to 7, a Group of 20 summit in India on Sept. 9 and 10, and a U.N. General Assembly session in the United States from Sept. 19.

Kishida is also expected to take into account the convening of an extraordinary Diet session at home.

It remains to be seen how far Kishida would go in making personnel changes. If he reshuffles the cabinet drastically, there is a risk that scandals involving new cabinet members would come to light.

Another focal point is how Kishida would treat digital minister Taro Kono, currently being grilled over the My Number issues, and Toshimitsu Motegi, secretary-general of the LDP, who is said to be eager to become Kishida’s successor.

JIJI Press