By The South Asia Times

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reshuffled her Cabinet on Thursday for the first time since taking office last year, retaining several senior ministers while bringing a member of her coalition partner into the government, according to Kyodo News.

The reshuffle comes ahead of an extraordinary session of parliament expected to consider a proposal to temporarily cut the consumption tax on food and beverages, as well as planned revisions to Japan’s key national security documents.

Takaichi retained Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, preserving continuity in some of the government's most important portfolios.

Minoru Kiuchi, minister for economic and fiscal policy, and Kimi Onoda, minister in charge of economic security, also remained in their positions.

However, Yoshimasa Hayashi, a former foreign and defense minister who served as a senior aide to former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, was replaced as internal affairs minister by Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Hisayuki Fujii.

Hayashi, 65, had been regarded as a potential contender in next year's LDP leadership contest. He, Motegi and Koizumi previously competed against Takaichi in the party's leadership election.

The reshuffle also brought a new political force into the Cabinet. Hiroshi Nakatsuka, formerly secretary general of the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), was appointed minister responsible for regulatory reform, administrative reform and child-related policies.

The JIP has supported Takaichi's LDP-led government since the two conservative parties formed a coalition in October 2025, but had previously remained outside the Cabinet.

Of the 18 ministers other than Takaichi, eight retained their positions, seven were appointed to the Cabinet for the first time and three returned to government. Two women remain in the Cabinet — Katayama and Onoda.

- Tax cut plan

The government is preparing for an extraordinary Diet session expected to begin around Oct. 5, when lawmakers are expected to debate a proposal to reduce the consumption tax on food and beverages from 8% to 1% for two years starting in April.

Lawmakers are also expected to consider a controversial political reform bill proposing reductions in the number of seats in the lower house. The measure faced strong opposition criticism during the previous parliamentary session.

Takaichi reshuffled the LDP's senior leadership on Wednesday while retaining influential figures including former Prime Minister Taro Aso as vice president and Shunichi Suzuki as secretary general.

The prime minister's approval rating has remained around 50% in recent months, after her government initially enjoyed support of about 70%, according to the figures cited in the report.

Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, is expected to appoint new senior vice ministers and parliamentary vice ministers on Friday as the government completes the reshuffle.