Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is likely to retain Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in an upcoming reshuffle of her Cabinet, government sources said Friday.
The shakeup of the Cabinet and the executive lineup of Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party could take place in the latter half of this month, according to the sources.
Takaichi's retention of Motegi, one of her rivals for last year's LDP leadership race, comes amid diplomatic challenges including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, worsened ties with China and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara is also expected to keep his job in the first major reshuffle of Takaichi's Cabinet since she came to power in October last year.
In reshuffling the LDP leadership, Takaichi intends to retain the influential former Prime Minister Taro Aso as vice president, as well as his brother-in-law Shunichi Suzuki a secretary general, according to people familiar with the matter.
