Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has officially started his second Cabinet after a confirmation ceremony at the Imperial Palace. Abe was prime minister for one year until he resigned due to ill health in September 2007. After both houses of the Diet elected him as prime minister on Wednesday, Abe entered his new official residence, where he met Natsuo Yamaguchi, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party's coalition partner, New Komeito.apan's new prime minister Shinzo Abe has formed his cabinet with economic recovery and rehabilitation after last year's disaster as top priorities.

New Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced the 18-member lineup on Wednesday, shortly after both houses of the Diet named Abe as prime minister.

Abe chose former prime minister Taro Aso as vice prime minister, finance minister, financial services minister and minister in charge of overcoming deflation and addressing the high yen.

The new foreign minister is Fumio Kishida, a former Liberal Democratic Party Diet affairs chief who served as Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs minister when Abe was prime minister in 2006 and 2007.

The post of justice minister went to former finance minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, who was LDP president before Abe assumed the post in September.

Former deputy chief cabinet secretary Hakubun Shimomura is the education, culture, sports, science and technology minister, and the minister in charge of rebuilding education.

Former defense minister and former LDP deputy policy chief Yoshimasa Hayashi is the agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister.

The new economy, trade and industry minister is former LDP policy chief Toshimitsu Motegi, who also served as Okinawa and Northern Territories affairs minister. He will also serve as minister in charge of dealing with economic damage from Japan's nuclear disaster.
The post of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister went to Akihiro Ota, a former head of the LDP's coalition partner New Komeito.

Former LDP secretary general and former land and transport minister Nobuteru Ishihara is the environment minister and the nuclear emergency preparedness minister.

The new defense minister is Itsunori Onodera, a former senior vice foreign minister.

Former senior vice minister Takumi Nemoto is the minister in charge of post-disaster reconstruction. He is to tackle efforts to rebuild northeastern Japan. The region was devastated by the March 11th tsunami and earthquake disaster.

The post of minister in charge of abductions and public safety commission chief went to Keiji Furuya, who was senior vice economy, trade and industry minister under former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi.

Former LDP policy chief Akira Amari is the minister in charge of economic revival, social security and tax system reform.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga said the new cabinet is designed to break through Japan's ongoing crisis. He said the ministers will work as one on post-disaster reconstruction and economic revival.Outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has left the prime minister's office after about 16 months leading Japan.

Noda's Cabinet resigned en masse on Wednesday morning before the launch of the new government to be led by the Liberal Democratic Party.

Staff members saw Noda off as he left the prime minister's office.

Noda served for 482 days.
Media agencies nhk