TOKYO (REUTERS) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has tapped Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi for the No. 2 post in the ruling party, while domestic media flagged a former defence minister as a candidate for foreign minister.
The move comes after a defeat in Sunday's Lower House election led Mr Akira Amari, the secretary-general of Mr Kishida's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), to give up the post.
Mr Motegi said he had accepted the offer to take up the powerful role.
"Next year, soon after the ordinary session of Parliament comes an Upper House election," he told reporters on Monday (Nov 2). "I was asked to do the job, including that."
Known for being well-versed in policy matters and on good terms with party elders such as former prime ministers Shinzo Abe and Taro Aso, Mr Motegi will likely help Mr Kishida maintain his grip on power within the party.
His appointment is expected to be formally announced on Thursday.
While not a government post, the job of ruling party secretary-general offers huge sway over lawmakers because the holder is in charge of financing campaigns, helping to shape policy and pulling fractious members into line.
Mr Amari's appointment to the job had signalled that Mr Kishida's government was looking to restart nuclear power plants and pay close attention to economic national security in supply chains, key issues for the former secretary general.
Mr Kishida led the LDP to far better-than-expected election results on Sunday, as the party kept its strong majority in the powerful Lower House.
Mr Amari's loss was among some notable hits it suffered, however, although he retains a Parliament seat thanks to Japan's system of proportional representation.
Kyodo news agency and other media said Mr Yoshimasa Hayashi, 60, had emerged as a candidate for foreign minister, without citing sources.
Besides having served as defence minister, the Harvard-educated Hayashi has also held the economy, education and agriculture portfolios.
Separately, Mr Yukio Edano, the head of Japan's main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), said on Tuesday he would step down to take responsibility for the loss of parliamentary seats in Sunday's lower house elections, public broadcaster NHK said.
The left-leaning CDP lost 13 seats although it remained Japan's second-biggest party. The smaller Ishin, or Japan Innovation Party, almost quadrupled its haul to 41 seats in the 465-seat chamber.
"We ended up having smaller seats than we had before, which is highly regrettable. This is solely because of my inadequacy," Mr Edano told a meeting of party executives.
