Japan PM reshuffles cabinet, names new finance minister

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reshuffled his cabinet on Monday, naming Koriki Jojima, a senior member of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), as new finance minister.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reshuffled his cabinet on Monday, naming Koriki Jojima, a senior member of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), as new finance minister.

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Foreign minister Koichiro Gemba was among heavyweight names keeping their posts in the reshuffle as Noda looks to move past a damaging row with China and boost his flagging popularity.

Noda, whose DPJ governs in coalition with a smaller grouping, told reporters the changes would boost his government.

"This is a reshuffle that will help the government and the ruling parties cooperate to address a number of issues we are facing domestically and diplomatically and further strengthen the function of the cabinet."

The reshuffle comes as the prime minister's poll numbers remain dreary after a costly battle over legislation to double sales tax.

It also comes as Tokyo is embroiled in a row with Beijing over the sovereignty of a group of islands in the East China Sea, known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyus in China.

Noda elevated Makiko Tanaka to the cabinet as new education minister, a woman with pro-Beijing credentials reflecting her father's status as the prime minister who normalised ties with China in 1972.