Aso gives up on plan to shuffle party posts

Prime Minister Taro Aso gave up on plans Wednesday to shuffle the leadership of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, but in a face-saving step he named two lawmakers to Cabinet posts.

Yoshimasa Hayashi, 48, was named state minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy, a position that had been held concurrently by Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano.

Motoo Hayashi, 62, was appointed chairman of the National Public Safety Commission as well as state minister in charge of Okinawa, the Northern Territories and disaster management. The positions had been held concurrently by Tsutomu Sato, who was named internal affairs and communications minister last month following the resignation of Kunio Hatoyama following discord over the re-appointment of the president of Japan Post Holdings Co.

The two Hayashis are not related.

Aso explained that he had long thought of removing Yosano and Sato from their concurrent posts.

When asked to explain his decision not to shuffle key party executive posts, Aso said, "There is no one who has heard me mention even a single word about making personnel changes in party leadership."

Speculation had arisen that Aso wanted to replace LDP Secretary-General Hiroyuki Hosoda to better position the party in the Lower House election that must be called by September.

But Aso apparently flip-flopped in the face of vigorous opposition from within the party to his plan.

As president of the LDP, Aso has final authority over personnel decisions. He apparently felt that the situation could spiral out of control.

A number of LDP lawmakers have already expressed concerns about keeping Aso at the helm as the party faces a Lower House election.

Amid growing calls for his replacement, Aso apparently wanted to shuffle the LDP leadership to solidify his party position before he dissolves the Lower House for a snap election.

Aso met Tuesday night with Yoshiro Mori, the former prime minister who is still influential in the LDP faction now headed by Nobutaka Machimura, to win him over.

But a senior member of the Machimura faction said, "Common sense dictates that no personnel changes should be made before the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election on July 12."

Aso's failure to strengthen the LDP leadership at this crucial juncture further highlights his weak position. Inevitably, questions will now likely arise as to whether Aso can grab the initiative and dissolve the Lower House.

The results of the Shizuoka gubernatorial election to be held Sunday and the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election a week later now loom even larger in determining Aso's future.

Poor showings in those elections by the LDP could fuel calls for the LDP to elect a new president before the Lower House election.　(IHT/Asahi: July 2,2009)