Japan PM Takaichi retains most key execs in ruling party reshuffle

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi retained many of her Liberal Democratic Party's executives in her first reshuffle of its top team Wednesday, seeking to maintain continuity ahead of a packed legislative agenda into the end of the year.

Takaichi kept the influential former Prime Minister Taro Aso, who heads the party's sole remaining faction following an intraparty funds scandal and was key to her victory in last October's party leadership race, as LDP vice president. His brother-in-law Shunichi Suzuki was retained as secretary general.