Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is looking to bring about changes to his Cabinet, with reported plans to designate former parliamentary vice minister of economy, trade and industry, Hiromasa Nakano, as the new land minister. This move is said to be a way to maintain Komeito's representation within the Cabinet, pleasing the junior coalition partner. Nakano, a 46-year-old Lower House member on his fifth term, brings experience from both the political and bureaucratic realms, having previously served in various roles before leading Komeito's economy, trade, and industry division.
In response to a request from Komeito, the appointment of Nakano is expected to replace incumbent Tetsuo Saito, who is poised to step down from the Cabinet and take on the position of the party's new leader. Notably, Saito is anticipated to assume the role of Komeito's chief representative following an upcoming extraordinary party convention on November 9, a move triggered by Keiichi Ishii's resignation in the wake of the party's losses in the recent Lower House election. Ishiba's Cabinet restructuring hinges on securing his reappointment as prime minister, a decision that is poised to be made during a special Diet session set to convene on November 11.
Moreover, Ishiba is looking to introduce other changes, with plans to appoint Keisuke Suzuki as the new justice minister and Taku Eto as the new agriculture minister, while maintaining the rest of the current ministers. Suzuki, a seasoned 47-year-old Lower House member with a background as a state minister for foreign affairs, is aligned with the LDP's Aso faction. In a separate development, Eto, a 64-year-old eight-term Lower House member, is anticipated to take on the agriculture minister role after previously serving in the same position in the Abe Cabinet for a year starting in September 2019.