Ex - Japanese Health Minister To Be Named New Economic Revitalization Minister
Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has decided to appoint former Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Goto Shigeyuki as the new economic revitalization minister. He will succeed Yamagiwa Daishiro, who stepped down on Monday amid a series of revelations about his links with the controversial religious group previously known as the Unification Church.
Goto is a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. He currently serves as chairperson of the party's Research Commission on Social Security System.
The 66-year-old lawmaker was appointed health, labor and welfare minister when Kishida formed his first Cabinet in October last year.
Prime Minister Kishida apparently expects Goto to work instrumentally in compiling a new economic package aimed at tackling soaring prices, and in smoothly handling Diet debates on a supplementary budget that will fund the package.
Goto joined the Finance Ministry in 1980 and was first elected to the Lower House in 2000 on the ticket of the then-Democratic Party of Japan, an opposition party. He later joined the LDP. He is in his seventh term at the Lower House.