New Japanese PM unveils youthful cabinet

---

TOKYO, Sept 2 (AFP): Japan's new prime minister Yoshihiko Noda Friday named a youthful cabinet lacking the usual political heavyweights, as he attempts to unite a divided party and safeguard a fragile post-quake recovery. Japan's sixth new leader in five years gave the key posts of foreign and finance ministers to two allies in their 40s, considered young in Japanese politics for such roles. In his inaugural press conference as Prime Minister, Noda pledged to prioritise faster efforts in post-quake reconstruction, resolving the Fukushima nuclear crisis and cleaning up radiation-contaminated areas. "Without the rebirth of Fukushima, there will not be a rebirth of Japan," Noda said, adding that it would be "difficult" to build new reactors in the aftermath of the disasters. The position of finance minister went to relative unknown Jun Azumi, 49, against expectations Noda would pick a veteran from his ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) to wrestle with the world's biggest debt burden. Koichiro Gemba, 47, becomes foreign minister. Some party bosses, including former foreign minister Katsuya Okada, reportedly rejected Noda's offer of key posts, while analysts said his choices were aimed at appeasing factions rather than building on individual experience. The new cabinet was later sworn in by Emperor Akihito. Noda has pledged to be a peacemaker in the ruling centre-left DPJ, which is deeply split between supporters and foes of veteran powerbroker Ichiro Ozawa, indicted in a political funding scandal. In doing so he is hoping to regain momentum lost since the DPJ ended half a century of conservative rule with their 2009 poll win, and help drive forward recovery from the March disasters that left over 20,000 dead or missing. Azumi, from the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi that was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami, was a reporter for the state broadcaster NHK before entering politics. Seen as having strong ties with the opposition, he faces tough tasks in shielding the economy from a yen hovering near postwar highs and addressing a ballooning public debt as an ageing population increases social security costs. "Azumi is likely to follow Noda's financial policy and to be controlled by finance ministry bureaucrats," said Tetsuro Kato, professor of politics at Waseda University in Tokyo. "Because he is from the disaster-hit region, Noda wants him to take the lead in securing a budget for reconstruction." Gemba, the new foreign minister, was state minister in charge of national strategy in the outgoing cabinet. Japanese diplomacy was heavily tested last year by territorial disputes with China and Russia. In his press conference Noda vowed to deepen ties with both countries, as well as South Korea and key ally the United States. Gemba will be tasked with handling protracted discussions over the relocation of a US military base on the southern island of Okinawa. Yoshio Hachiro, 63, was named Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. Motohisa Furukawa, 45, assumed the post of national strategy minister and also minister for economic and fiscal policy. Goshi Hosono, 40, will continue overseeing the resolution of the Fukushima crisis as environment minister in charge of the nuclear power plant disaster.