Overview
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to decide LDP party personnel on Sept. 16 and carry out a cabinet reshuffle on Sept. 17.
- Those moves are conditioned on the cabinet approving a tax‑reform outline on Sept. 15, a step linked to proposed consumption‑tax reduction measures.
- Takaichi intends to retain core LDP figures such as Taro Aso, Shunichi Suzuki and Takayuki Kobayashi to preserve party stability.
- The government is prioritizing continuity in diplomacy and defence, with Toshimitsu Motegi expected to remain foreign minister and Shinjiro Koizumi likely to stay as defence minister to lead year‑end revisions of three national security documents.
- A key unresolved choice is the future of Internal Affairs Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, a decision that will affect factional balance and Takaichi’s effort to absorb last year’s leadership rivals into her team.