Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reshuffled his Cabinet for the
third time Oct. 1. Although he changed 10 of the 18 Cabinet
members, Mr. Noda has failed to present a long-term policy
goal or a future vision for Japan as it faces a rapidly graying
population and difficult diplomatic issues.
Only short-term goals are clear ? to prepare the Democratic
Party of Japan for the next Lower House election, expected
within a year, and to prevent Diet members from leaving the
DPJ. If nine more leave the party, it will lose its majority
in the Lower House.
Mr. Noda picked DPJ policy chief Seiji Maehara as national
strategy minister and former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka
as education minister.