LDP unveils new executive lineup

TOKYO - Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga released new cabinet lineup on Wednesday.

The reshuffle ushered in 12 new faces and five female ministers in the new 18-member lineup.

Local reports said that the cabinet reshuffle, along with the executive lineup change within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), aimed at forging LDP's long-term rules based on a more solid party.

The appointments announced Wednesday are sending the strongest message yet about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's determination to revive the economy by getting women on board as workers and leaders.

The 18-member Cabinet includes Yuko Obuchi, the daughter of a former prime minister, as the trade and economy minister, while retaining some key positions.

Having five women in the Cabinet is extremely rare for Japan, and is the record number set in 2001. The previous Cabinet, dissolved earlier in the day, had two women ministers.

Abe has stressed his policies of economic growth center around utilizing the talent of women and empowering them. He has set the goal of having women in 30 percent of leadership positions by 2020.