UPDATE - Japan PM reshuffles cabinet after upper house vote win

UPDATES WITH BACKGROUND

TOKYO (AA) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reshuffled his cabinet Wednesday after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won a majority of seats in last month’s upper house election.

Local news agency Kyodo reported that Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced the new cabinet lineup that included a new defense minister, LDP policy chief Tomomi Inada, who is recognized as agreeing with Abe on security and foreign policy.

The reshuffle saw around half of cabinet members retain their current posts.

In the July 10 House of Councillors election, Abe acquired the two-thirds majority necessary to propose amendments to the constitution, as members of the LDP, coalition partner Komeito and other lawmakers open to constitutional reform gained 77 of the 121 contested seats.

Amending the country’s pacifistic constitution, promulgated by the American Occupation in 1947, has been a stated goal of the LDP since it was formed in 1955.