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Japanese Prime Minister Noda reshuffles cabinet posts

13 January 2012 07:42 (UTC +04:00)

Baku - APA-Economics. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has reshuffled his cabinet, replacing five members including two ministers responsible for a series of gaffes, APA reports citing Associated Press.

The reshuffle is part of a plan to raise taxes for tackling the country’s deepening financial crisis. Twelve posts, including finance and foreign minister, remained unchanged. But Defence Minister Yasuo Ichikawa and Consumer Affairs Minister Kenji Yamaokase had been censured by the upper house over various verbal gaffes.

Among the new appointees are former foreign minister Katsuya Okada as deputy prime minister to lead tax reforms.

Seen as a heavyweight he will be tasked with building support for Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s proposal to double sales tax - Japan’s equivalent of value added tax.

This currently stands at 5% but Mr Noda says it must be raised to meet rising social security costs.

Mr Ichikawa - censured for his comments about a gang-rape in Okinawa - has now been replaced by Naoki Tanaka, husband of former foreign minister Makiko Tanaka.

Mr Yamaoka - censured for inappropriate comments on financial issues - has now been replaced by Jin Matsubara.