Japan Min. Sees Reshuffle As Way To Boost PM Aso

One possible point would be after budget bills are passed for the fiscal year starting on April 1.

Reshuffling Japan's cabinet may be one way to boost Prime Minister Taro Aso's tumbling support, a cabinet minister said on Tuesday, as ruling party members grow increasingly worried about losing an election this year.

Surveys this week show public support for Aso, already slumping after policy flip-flops and gaffes, has fallen more since his close ally Shoichi Nakagawa resigned as finance minister last week after being forced to deny he was drunk at a G7 news conference in Rome.

Kaoru Yosano has taken over the finance and banking supervision portfolios on top of his job as economics minister, but some are concerned these three key posts are too much for one person to handle amid a deepening recession.

Aso has said Yosano would keep the three jobs at least until budget bills are passed, which could be as early as next month but may be later, Japanese media have reported.

"There will be a minor cabinet reshuffle when relieving Yosano from having three posts. Boldly scaling up the minor reshuffle is one option," Administrative Reform Minister Akira Amari, another close Aso ally, told reporters.

Amari's comments, made as Aso travelled to Washington for a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, drew mixed responses from fellow lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura told a news conference there was a common understanding Yosano could not hold the three posts forever, but whether and when a new minister takes on some of that burden is for Aso to decide.

The main opposition Democratic Party, its chances of winning this year's election growing, said the public seeks a change in government altogether.

"More people are calling for an early election, saying that it should be held by April," Democratic Party leader Ichiro Ozawa told reporters. "The LDP can't ignore these calls and cling on to the administration."

Some in Aso's own conservative LDP have called for the unpopular leader to be replaced ahead of a general election due by October, although Japan has already had three prime ministers since the last election in 2005. Yosano is seen as one possible replacement.

One possible point would be after budget bills are passed for the fiscal year starting on April 1.

"Prime Minister Aso's strongest asset will be passing budget bills regardless of how low his support rate is," Transport Minister Kazuyoshi Kaneko told a news conference.

"But after that, things will be difficult."

Other cabinet ministers made a point of backing Aso.

"Because things are tough, we need to support the prime minister we have chosen," said Consumer Affairs Minister Seiko Noda, tipped as a possible candidate to replace Aso.

"I find it unpleasant that the term 'post-Aso' is even being mentioned now."

A survey published on Tuesday by the Sankei newspaper and Fuji TV showed Aso's support had fallen to 11.4 percent, down 6.8 points from a survey last month.

It was the second poll in as many days to show that four out of five voters want Aso to quit within months.