InsideJapan News Network

The new Japanese cabinet has been revealed today, after the shock resignation of Yukio Hatoyama as prime minister led to a shake up and new party leader.

In total, 11 out of 17 ministers in the Hatoyama administration have been kept in their roles by new party leader and prime minister Naoto Kan. He was elected as the new leader on Friday and used to be the country's finance minister.

Ministers in new posts include Koichiro Gemba, who is now the civil service, gender equality and population minister, as well as Satoshi Arai, the new national policy, consumer and food safety minister and Masahiko Yamada, who is now Japan's minister for agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Those who kept their role from the previous administration included justice minister Keiko Chiba, health, labour and welfare minister Akira Nagatsuma and land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister Seiji Maehara.

Hatoyama resigned after falling sharply in public favour after deciding to keep a controversial US military base in its original location, despite promising to move it during his election campaign.

Written by Kimberley Homer.


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