full screen Newly appointed Defense Minister Yoko Kamikawa arrives at the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday. Photo: Eugene Hoshiko/AP/TT
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is replacing key ministers, including the defense and foreign ministers, a government spokesman announced.
At the same time, the number of women in government increases to a record number for the country.
Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is replaced by former Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa, one of five women in the new government. Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada will be replaced by Minoru Kihara, announced government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno.
66-year-old Kishida took office in the fall of 2021, but support for him, like his position within the ruling party, has fallen according to opinion polls.