Oshima to be appointed as speaker of Lower House

October 30, 2017

TOKYO- Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party plans to reappoint senior party member Tadamori Oshima as speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, according to informed sources.

The reappointment of Oshima, 71, is expected to be approved during a special Diet session set to start on Wednesday, the sources said.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, also LDP leader, plans to reappoint all ministers to their posts when he forms a new cabinet, the sources said.

Abe is expected to be reelected prime minister during the Diet session following his party's landslide victory in the Oct. 22 Lower House election. He also plans to retain all LDP executives in their posts, the sources said.

The Lower House speaker, customarily chosen among ruling party members, is usually replaced following an election for the chamber.

Initial candidates for the post included former Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura and former Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga.

But the LDP eventually opted to keep Oshima in his post ahead of Emperor Akihito's planned abdication, the sources said. Oshima helped pass a law to allow the Emperor to step down.

Elected to the Lower House 12 times from the No. 2 constituency in Aomori Prefecture, Oshima has taken such posts as LDP secretary-general and vice president. In April 2015, he became speaker of the Lower House.

With his broad connections to both ruling and opposition lawmakers, Oshima is expected to continue efforts to ensure the Diet's smooth management. In addition, he is likely to play a key role in discussions on possible changes to the constitution.

Abe vowed to make his administration results-oriented when he last reshuffled his cabinet on Aug. 3. He apparently saw the need for all cabinet members to remain in their posts as all of them won in the latest Lower House election.

In the LDP, Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai, General Council Chairman Wataru Takeshita, Policy Research Council Chairman Fumio Kishida and Election Strategy Committee Chairman Ryu Shionoya are seen to retain their posts.

LDP Vice President Masahiko Komura, who retired from the Lower House, is also expected to stay in his post. Jiji Press