02/09/2011 11:15
Japan's PM unveils new cabinet
Japan's new Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda picked close allies Friday for key positions in his cabinet as he tries to steer his troubled nation through disaster recovery, a nuclear crisis and a lengthy economic slump, the Associated Press reported.
Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura announced the picks, including Koichiro Gemba, 47, as foreign minister and Jun Azumi, a 49-year-old former journalist, taking over the finance portfolio. Both are relatively young in a Japanese political world previously dominated by elder statesmen, and both are closely allied with Noda.
Yoshio Hachiro, 63, was selected minister of trade and economy.
Noda retained Goshi Hosono as the minister in charge of dealing with the nuclear crisis in Fukushima prefecture, in northeastern Japan.
He also kept Michihiko Kano, who ran against him for the party leadership and is considered well connected with veteran legislators, as agriculture minister.