Kishida To Nominate New Econ Revitalisation Minister As Tensions Within LDP Simmer

Japan's Economic Revitalisation Minister Daishiro Yamagiwa resigned on Monday and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will announce the replacement today, local media reported last night.

• Yamagiwa came under criticism over his failure to fully disclose his connections with the Unification Church until the press provided clear evidence, which drew the ire of opposition lawmakers and the general public. Yomiuri reports that the resignation was effectively a dismissal approved during a Cabinet meeting on Monday evening.
• Kishida is aiming to complete the certification ceremony for the new minister as soon as this evening, as reigniting economic momentum remains his priority. Yamagiwa, a member of the Aso faction within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, was responsible for implementing the Prime Minister's flagship "New Capitalism" agenda.
• Kishida had reportedly been considering sacking Yamagiwa but feared that it might trigger a "domino of resignations," as some other Cabinet members and LDP executives also had connections with the Unification Church. In addition, yielding to external pressure incentivises opposition parties to step up their attacks on the government over its relationship with the religious movement.
• The sacking of Yamagiwa has exposed tensions within the ruling party. Sankei cited LDP sources accusing the Prime Minister of acting too late. Per an Asahi report, Kishida missed a Board meeting on short notice last afternoon, while some lawmakers have been complaining about his poor coordination with parliament. Declining approval ratings are exacerbating the situation, with the Cabinet's score worsening to a record low of 27% in the latest Mainichi survey.