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Japanese Prime Minister Noda reshuffles cabinet posts | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has reshuffled his cabinet, replacing five members including two ministers responsible for a series of gaffes. | |
Defence Minister Yasuo Ichikawa and Consumer Affairs Minister Kenji Yamaokase had been censured by the upper house over various remarks. | |
Twelve posts, including finance and foreign minister, remained unchanged. | |
Among the new appointees are former foreign minister Katsuya Okada as deputy PM to lead tax reforms. | |
Seen as a heavyweight, he will be tasked with building support for Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's proposal to double sales tax - Japan's equivalent of value added tax. | |
This currently stands at 5% but Mr Noda says it must be raised to meet rising social security costs. | This currently stands at 5% but Mr Noda says it must be raised to meet rising social security costs. |
Mr Ichikawa - censured for his comments about a gang-rape in Okinawa - has now been replaced by Naoki Tanaka, husband of former foreign minister Makiko Tanaka. | |
Mr Yamaoka - censured for inappropriate comments on financial issues - has now been replaced by Jin Matsubara. |