Ishiba Shigeru, the newly elected president of the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party, has begun choosing party executives and members for his Cabinet. He is considering appointing lawmakers who ran against him in Friday’s leadership race to key posts.
Ishiba, a former LDP secretary-general, is expected to become the 102nd Japanese prime minister and launch his Cabinet on Tuesday after voting at an extraordinary Diet session.
He is set to decide the lineup of LDP executives over the weekend to launch the new party leadership on Monday.
He told a news conference on Friday that it is natural that he would ask those who competed against him to assume the most appropriate posts.
He said he has no intention of appointing set numbers of lawmakers from LDP factions, as most have decided to break up.
Ishiba said he plans to dissolve the Lower House for a general election as soon as possible after launching his Cabinet and debates at the Diet among governing and opposition lawmakers.
Also on Friday, the LDP asked its prefectural chapters to submit by October 7 the names of potential candidates to be endorsed by the party for the election.
Ishiba is expected to assess public opinion before deciding on the timing for dissolving the Lower House.