New Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide Picks Japan’s First Cabinet of Post-Abe Era

Suga Yoshihide of the Liberal Democratic Party was formally elected as prime minister of Japan on September 16, 2020, replacing Abe Shinzō. The same day, he selected the first cabinet of the post-Abe era.

Prime minister

Suga Yoshihide (71), LDP, House of Representatives (Kanagawa)

Served on Yokohama City Council. Was minister for internal affairs and communications under the first Abe administration (2006–07) and chief cabinet secretary under Abe from the time he returned to power in December 2012.

Deputy prime minister, minister of finance, minister of state for financial services (unchanged)

Asō Tarō (79), LDP, House of Representatives (Fukuoka)

Has been prime minister, minister for internal affairs and communications, and minister for foreign affairs. Was deputy prime minister and minister of finance under Abe from December 2012 onward, and remains in these positions.

Minister of internal affairs and communications

Takeda Ryōta (52), LDP, House of Representatives (Fukuoka)

Worked as secretary to a Diet member and has been deputy state minister of defense, LDP deputy secretary-general, and chair of the National Public Safety Commission.

Minister of justice

Kamikawa Yōko (67), LDP, House of Representatives (Shizuoka)

Worked for Mitsubishi Research Institute and has been minister of state for gender equality and social affairs and minister of justice. One of two women in the new cabinet.

Minister for foreign affairs (unchanged)

Motegi Toshimitsu (64), LDP, House of Representatives (Tochigi)

Worked for Marubeni and the Yomiuri Shimbun. Has been minister of state for science and technology; minister of state for financial services; minister of economy, trade, and industry; and minister in charge of economic revitalization.

Minister of education, culture, sports, science, and technology (unchanged)

Hagiuda Kōichi (57), LDP, House of Representatives (Tokyo)

Served in the Hachiōji City Council and Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and has been deputy chief cabinet secretary and LDP executive acting secretary-general.

Minister of health, labor, and welfare

Tamura Norihisa (55), LDP, House of Representatives (Mie)

Worked as secretary to a Diet member and has been senior vice minister for internal affairs and communications, LDP deputy secretary-general, and minister of health, labor, and welfare.

Minister of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries (first cabinet post)

Nogami Kōtarō (53), LDP, House of Councillors (Toyama)

Worked for Mitsui Fudōsan, served in the Toyama Prefectural Assembly, and has been senior vice minister of land, infrastructure, transport, and tourism and deputy chief cabinet secretary.

Minister of economy, trade, and industry (unchanged)

Kajiyama Hiroshi (64), LDP, House of Representatives (Ibaraki)

Has been state minister of land, infrastructure, transport, and tourism and minister in charge of regional revitalization. Took up his present position after the resignation of Sugawara Isshū on October 25, 2019.

Minister of land, infrastructure, transport, and tourism (unchanged)

Akaba Kazuyoshi (62), Kōmeitō, House of Representatives (Hyōgo)

Worked for Mitsui. Has been state minister of finance and state minister of economy, trade, and industry. This post was held by Kōmeitō lawmakers from 2004 to 2008, and has been a Kōmeitō position continuously since Abe’s return to power in 2012.

Minister of the environment (unchanged)

Koizumi Shinjirō (39), LDP, House of Representatives (Kanagawa)

Worked as secretary to his father Koizumi Jun’ichirō. Has been parliamentary vice-minister for reconstruction, director of the LDP Agriculture and Forestry Division, and director of the LDP Health, Labor, and Welfare Division. Entered the cabinet for the first time in his present position in 2019 at the young age of 38.

Minister of defense (first cabinet post)

Kishi Nobuo (61), LDP, House of Representatives (Yamaguchi)

Worked for Sumitomo and has been parliamentary vice-minister of defense and state minister for foreign affairs. The younger brother of Abe Shinzō, he was adopted into his mother’s family shortly after he was born.

Chief cabinet secretary

Katō Katsunobu (64), LDP, House of Representatives (Okayama)

Worked in the Ministry of Finance. Has been deputy chief cabinet secretary, minister for promoting dynamic engagement of all citizens, chair of the LDP general council, and minister of health, labor, and welfare.

Minister for reconstruction (first cabinet post)

Hirasawa Katsuei (75), LDP, House of Representatives (Tokyo)

Switched from the National Police Agency into politics. Has been state minister of the cabinet office, LDP deputy secretary-general, and chair of the LDP’s Public Relations Headquarters.

Chair of the National Public Safety Commission

Okonogi Hachirō (55), LDP, House of Representatives (Kanagawa)

Worked as secretary to a Diet member and has been senior vice minister of economy, trade, and industry; LDP deputy secretary-general; chair of the National Public Safety Commission, and minister of state for disaster management.

Minister for administrative reform, minister of state for regulatory reform, minister of state for Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs

Kōno Tarō (57), LDP, House of Representatives (Kanagawa)

Worked for Fuji Xerox. Has been senior vice minister of justice, minister for administrative reform, minister for foreign affairs, and minister of defense. Made the decision in June 2020 to suspend plans to deploy the Aegis Ashore land-based missile system.

Minister for promoting dynamic engagement of all citizens (first cabinet post)

Sakamoto Tetsushi (69), LDP, House of Representatives (Kumamoto)

Worked at Kumamoto Nichinichi Shimbun, served on the Kumamoto Prefectural Assembly, and has been state minister for internal affairs and communications and state minister of the cabinet office.

Minister for economic revitalization (unchanged)

Nishimura Yasutoshi (57), LDP, House of Representatives (Hyōgo)

Worked at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry) and has been parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs, state minister of the cabinet office, and deputy chief cabinet secretary. While minister for economic revitalization, he has also taken charge of the government’s COVID-19 response since March 2020.

Minister of state for digital technology

Hirai Takuya (62), LDP, House of Representatives (Kagawa)

Worked for Dentsū and as president of Nishinippon Broadcasting, parliamentary vice minister of land, infrastructure, transport, and tourism, and minister in charge of information technology policy.

Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games (unchanged)

Hashimoto Seiko (55), LDP, House of Councillors (proportional representation)

Competed in the Winter Olympics as a speed skater four times from 1984 to 1994 and in the Summer Olympics as a cyclist three times from 1988 to 1996. Won the bronze medal for the women’s 1,500-meter speed skating at Albertville in 1992. Has served as senior vice-minister for foreign affairs. One of two women in the new cabinet.

Minister for the World Exposition in Osaka (first cabinet post)

Inoue Shinji (50), LDP, House of Representatives (Tokyo)

Worked in the Ministry of Construction (now part of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism) and has been state minister of the environment, state minister of the cabinet office, and LDP deputy secretary-general.

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: Suga Yoshihide strikes a pose after having been selected as the new LDP president in Tokyo on September 14, 2020. © Jiji.)