Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday expressed the possibility of donning the additional hat of a foreign minister until a new cabinet is set up later this month. The incumbent minister “is set to take over a key ruling party post,” reports Reuters.
Kishida wants Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi for the second in command post in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) - a role that also includes shaping policy.
Reuters further adds, The LDP will convene an executive board meeting later on Thursday to confirm that appointment. Kishida led the LDP to better-than-expected election results on Sunday, with the party retaining its strong majority in the lower house.”
The parliament will convene a special session on November 10 to endorse Kishida as the Prime Minister. Kishida will name a new cabinet that would in all probabilities retain the old faces except the foreign minister, “Until the new cabinet, I am thinking of working as foreign minister as well,” Kishida, who had earlier handled the responsibility of the ministry, told the media.