Japan PM Kishida to reshuffle Cabinet

NEW DELHI - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Sunday that he will reshuffle his Cabinet as early as Wednesday.

The conservative leader, on a visit to New Delhi to

attend the Group of 20 summit,

also said he plans to issue a fresh economic package to help families deal with inflation.

“After I return to Japan early Monday, I will coordinate with relevant individuals and will carry out personnel appointments for the (ruling) party’s leadership positions and ministerial posts,” Mr Kishida told a televised press conference in the Indian capital.

“I want to protect people’s lives from rising prices while energising the trend of wage increases and expanded investment,” he added.

“I want to implement a bold economic package, backed by a necessary budget, to do that. We need to do this very urgently.”

He did not provide further details.

The announcement came as Mr Kishida attempts to lift his sagging popularity as well as his standing within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party ahead of a party leadership election in 2024.

At the press conference, Mr Kishida also reiterated his call for China to drop

an import ban on Japanese seafood

that began in August after Japan started releasing treated wastewater from the disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear plant. AFP