Prospective Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida plans to create a new ministerial post for economic security in a veiled counter to alleged technology theft by China, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.
Kishida, who will launch his Cabinet after being elected prime minister at the start of an extraordinary Diet session Monday, is also considering appointing a prime ministerial advisor on the issue, the sources said.
It was not immediately known who will take up the post, but the new minister is expected to craft a national strategy designed to block a technology drain from the country.
After taking office, Kishida plans to dissolve the House of Representatives on Oct. 14 and a general election is likely to be held Nov. 7, government and ruling party sources said.
With the plan, campaigning for the general election is expected to start Oct. 26 with voting and ballot counting on Nov. 7, the sources said.
However, campaigning could alternatively start Nov. 2 with voting on Nov. 14 because Kishida intends to attend the Oct. 30-31 summit of the Group of 20 major economies in Rome, according to the sources.
If the official start of campaigning is set for Oct. 26, the period would coincide with the G-20 summit.
Speaking to reporters Saturday in Kagoshima, southwestern Japan, Hiroshi Moriyama, chairman of the Diet Affairs Committee of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said the general election is likely to be held Nov. 7.
A senior government official said separately that the government will have a tight schedule for compiling the state budget for fiscal 2022 if the vote were to take place on Nov. 14.
According to the sources, Kishida, who is on course to take up the premiership after winning the LDP presidential election Wednesday, will make a decision soon on the dates of the official start of campaigning and the election.
Earlier Saturday, LDP's coalition partner Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi demanded that Kishida dissolve the lower house at the end of the Diet session on Oct. 14.
With the current four-year terms of lower house members set to expire Oct. 21, Kishida has the option of either dissolving the chamber or letting them serve out their tenure before holding the general election.
After launching his government, the new prime minister plans to deliver his first policy speech to the Diet next Friday and answer questions from other party leaders on Oct. 11-13, according to government officials.
As he promised during the LDP leadership race, Kishida is expected to instruct government officials to draw up an economic package worth dozens of trillions of yen in an effort to bolster the economy hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
After the general election, the Kishida government plans to enact a fiscal 2021 supplementary budget and craft the fiscal 2022 budget.
Kishida plans to offer ministerial posts to education minister Koichi Hagiuda, Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, all senior LDP lawmakers, in a new Cabinet, according to political sources.
Kishida also plans to retain transport minister Kazuyoshi Akaba, a lawmaker belonging to Komeito, the sources said.
Separately, Kishida is considering giving ministerial posts to five LDP lawmakers -- Satoshi Ninoyu, Kozaburo Nishime, Shinsuke Suematsu, Yasushi Kaneko and Shigeyuki Goto.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Saturday with Hirokazu Matsuno, a former education minister who Kishida has decided to name his chief Cabinet secretary, and other aides at the LDP headquarters, the new leader said he plans to finalize the Cabinet lineup on Sunday.
The new LDP chief is also set to name Shunichi Suzuki, a former environment minister, as finance minister and retain Toshimitsu Motegi as foreign minister.
Kishida plans to name Daishiro Yamagiwa, a former deputy trade minister, as either economic and fiscal policy minister or minister of economy, trade and industry, as well.
Earlier Saturday, Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi demanded that Kishida dissolve the House of Representatives at the end of the Diet session on Oct. 14.
Yamaguchi's call, made during a visit to Hokkaido, coincides with speculation by people close to Kishida that he is likely to dissolve the lower house on Oct. 14 for a general election either on Nov. 7 or 14.
With the current four-year terms of lower house members set to expire Oct. 21, Kishida has the option of either dissolving the chamber or letting them serve out their tenure before holding the general election.
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