Fukuda considering cabinet reshuffle

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TOKYO, July 21 (AFP): Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is considering a cabinet reshuffle in a bid to reverse his dwindling public support, a report said Monday.

Fukuda, who has been on holiday since Wednesday, will make a final decision of a cabinet reshuffle by Tuesday, the Asahi Shimbun daily said.

As many of the current cabinet members were appointed by Fukuda's predecessor Shinzo Abe, the premier hopes to make clear his line of policy with a cabinet reshuffle, the report said.

Other major Japanese media have similarly speculated that Fukuda would use his time off to ponder a cabinet reshuffle.

Meanwhile, party heavyweights of Fukuda's Liberal Democratic Party, including former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, have suggested recently that Fukuda should make changes in his cabinet to rekindle his political influence.

However, there might not be a reshuffle if a difficulty comes up in arrangement of appointments, the Asahi said.

According to the latest poll last week, Fukuda has failed to get much of a ratings boost from hosting last week's Group of Eight summit, with his popularity still close to record lows.

Support for the Fukuda cabinet was at just 21.7 percent, with disapproval of 61.2 percent, according to a weekend survey by Fuji Television Network released last Monday.

The figure is only just above a low of 19.8 per cent in a poll by a different media organisation in May.