Japan’s Ishiba picks continuity for cabinet, eyes snap election

Japan’s incoming prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, signalled continuity this weekend in his early decisions on key posts for his government, suggesting a desire for stability after an unpredictable leadership race.

His picks for finance, defence and foreign minister, as well as the pivotal post of chief cabinet secretary, appear to draw on seasoned veterans from his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, as he prepares to form a government on Tuesday.

Ishiba, 67, won the LDP leadership race on Friday, clinching a run-off win after a contest among a large field of an unprecedented nine candidates.

In a televised interview on Sunday, Ishiba did not detail his cabinet plans but suggested he was willing to consider a snap election in the near future, perhaps as early as October. An election must be called within the next 13 months.

The Tokyo Shimbun daily later reported that Ishiba would dissolve the lower house of parliament on October 9, with an election set for October 27, citing LDP sources.