Japanese Cabinet Reshuffle Affects Tokyo 2020

(ATR) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appointed a new minister to lead Olympic and Paralympic preparations as part of a cabinet reshuffle.

Yoshitaka Sakurada, a politician from Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party, was appointed to lead preparations at a ministerial level. He replaces Shunichi Suzuki in the position.

A Tokyo 2020 spokesperson confirmed to Around the Rings that Sakurada will meet with Organizing Committee President Yoshiro Mori as soon as Oct. 3, one day after the appointment was made. Until then, Tokyo 2020 could not comment on the appointment.

It is unlikely that a change of minister in charge of preparations will have much impact on preparations. With less than two years to go until the 2020 Olympics, the construction schedule has been finalized, and preliminary test events planned. Most work being done for preparations is being finalized at a deputy level within the ministry.

Both the United Kingdom and Brazil had multiple changes of ministers in charge of Olympic preparations throughout the seven year project. In Brazil, there were three different leaders of the Sports Ministry in 2016 alone, the year of the Rio Games.

Abe’s cabinet reshuffle came after he secured another three year mandate as head of the Liberal Democratic Party. The consolidation of his power within the party means he will likely stay in power through the next general assembly, which must take place before mid-October 2021.

If Abe serves his full mandate, he will become the longest serving Prime Minister in post-War Japan.

Of the 19 ministers in the new cabinet, 12 are first time ministers. However, a majority of important positions were unchanged, in what Japanese media reported Abe called the "foundation" of his administration. Abe reportedly also reorganized executive posts within the LDP, appointing key allies to top positions.

"This Cabinet is like a team of baseball players, all of whom have roles to play," Abe said in a press conference following the reshuffle.

The new cabinet reduced the number of female ministers from two to one, seemingly running counter to Abe’s "womenomics" policy, which aims to boost female empowerment in the workforce.

Satsuki Katayama will serve as female empowerment and regional revitalization minister in the new cabinet.

"I know there is only one woman in this Cabinet, but Ms. Katayama has a presence worth that of two or three women," Abe said. "I hope she will use that to promote the goal of female empowerment."

Homepage photo: Tokyo 2020

Written by Aaron Bauer

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