Abe mulls picking Onodera as defense chief

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering picking senior lawmaker Itsunori Onodera for defense minister when he reshuffles his Cabinet on Thursday, sources close to the matter said.Onodera served as defense minister for a little less than two years from December 2012 when Abe returned to power.Among other posts, Abe is expected to replace Tamayo Marukawa, minister in charge of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, according to the sources.Abe, who serves as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party president, plans to change LDP Diet affairs chairman Wataru Takeshita in an overhaul of party exe…READ FULL ARTICLE