New Japan cabinet: Kato to be named finance minister, Iwaya as foreign minister

Incoming Prime Minister Ishiba seen calling election for Oct. 27

20240929N cabinet picks Kato and Iwaya composite

Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, left, and former Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya. (Photos by Nikkei)

HIROYUKI AKIYAMA, Nikkei staff writer

September 30, 2024 02:41 JST

Updated on September 30, 2024 04:22 JST

TOKYO -- Japan's next prime minister, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, has decided to fill three key cabinet posts with a former top government spokesman as well as two of his successors in his old job, Nikkei has learned.

Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato will be appointed minister of finance. Former Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya will be named minister for foreign affairs, and fellow former Defense Minister Gen Nakatani will be Ishiba's pick for the new minister of defense.