Tokyo (AFP)

The Minister of Economic Revitalization goes to Foreign Affairs, the head of Defense Diplomacy, a young 38-year-old popular wolf made his entry: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday revamped his government.

This umpteenth recasting has for motto "stability and challenge".

The first term of this slogan is the maintenance of the spine formed by veterans Taro Aso, renewed to Finance, and the Secretary General of the Government, Yoshihide Suga, who retains this position and also serves as spokesperson for the executive.

They have been there since Abe's return to power at the end of 2012.

The foreign minister, Taro Kono, goes to the defense, which can be interpreted as a sign of Abe's support for his steadfastness in the recent escalation of quarrels with South Korea.

Toshimitsu Motegi, the man at the heart of trade negotiations with the United States after their exit from the Multilateral Trans-Pacific Agreement (TPP), changes his cap.

It leaves that of economic revitalization for that of diplomacy, a reward, while Tokyo and Washington are expected to announce soon the conclusion of a trade agreement.

- Media Scrunchie -

The foreign affairs post is most sensitive given the tense relations with South Korea, territorial disputes with China or Russia, besides the battering of the American ally and the procrastination of North Korea with its nuclear program.

Political scientists do not expect major changes in the way Japan conducts its diplomacy, an area in which Abe leads the dance. He does not hesitate to visit many countries and has had many meetings with the US and Russian Presidents since he took over the country almost seven years ago.

The "challenge" aspect of this new government is itself in a media coup: the appointment of a popular figure, Shinjiro Koizumi, son of the former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

At 38 years old, Koizumi, who inherited the portfolio of Environment, is the third youngest minister appointed in Japan since the end of the war.

"I hope that Mr Shinjiro Koizumi will tackle global issues such as plastics in the oceans and climate change not through hackneyed approaches but with new ideas from the younger generation," Abe said. during a press conference.

Abe recalled that he owed Koizumi's father the name of being named number two of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) ten years after his first election to a term. Mr. Koizumi junior was first elected ten years ago. "He is more experienced than I was in my tenth year" as an elected official, he added.

The young Koizumi is the rising figure, the character that thrills the media as much by his side as a kid and "people" that troublemaker.

- After Abe -

There are only two women (Sanae Takaichi at the Domestic Affairs and Seiko Hashimoto at the Olympics), though Mr. Abe continues to say he wants a society where "shines" the fairer sex.

The Japanese media are already speculating on the name of the possible successor of Abe at the head of the government, the current Prime Minister to theoretically leave his post in 2021.

"Abe is looking to start the race for the next and maybe even the next," said Yoshimasa Maruyama, SMBC economist Nikko Securities.

In the meantime, he hopes to carry out his ultimate ambition, the one that his late grandfather Nobusuke Kishi could not realize when he was Prime Minister (1957-1960), namely to reform the pacifist Constitution of Japan, written by the Americans in 1946, entered into force in 1947 and never since amended.

"With the new formation created today, the PLD (Liberal Democratic Party) will vigorously call for talks on a revision of the Constitution," Abe told reporters.

The Prime Minister has selected two newcomers to the posts of Minister of Economic Revitalization (Yasutoshi Nishimura, a relative who was already in his bodyguard) and Minister of Trade and Industry (Isshu Sugawara, former Deputy Minister finances).

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