Japan Institute for National Fundamentals
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Speaking out

Takashi Arimoto

【#1402】Hopes on Get-Things-Done Cabinet

Takashi Arimoto ／ 2026.09.24 (Thu)


September 24, 2026

　
The reshuffled Second Takaichi Cabinet began work in earnest on Sept. 24 after Japan’s extended holiday weekend. Although news coverage of cabinet reshuffles tends to focus on political maneuvering, such as intraparty power dynamics, the latest appointments indicate that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, drawing on a survey of preferred posts distributed to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers, was determined to place the right people in the right positions based on policy expertise.

The half-hearted inaugural press conferences sometimes seen during the heyday of factional politics, in which newly appointed ministers would say things like “I will start learning about the job now,” have largely disappeared. Every new cabinet minister has a solid grasp of the issues facing his or her ministry and is prepared to hit the ground running from day one. The emergence of precisely the kind of get-things-done cabinet Takaichi sought to create deserves high praise.

Pay attention to Regulatory Reform Minister

One notable aspect of the cabinet reshuffle is the appointment of Hiroshi Nakatsuka, a former secretary-general of the Japan Innovation Party, the LDP’s junior coalition partner, as minister in charge of regulatory reform. Vested business interests and political entanglements within the LDP have been intricately intertwined, stalling initiatives to break through entrenched regulations.

The appointment of the senior JIP figure known as an advocate for thorough administrative reform and decisive implementation of regulatory reform to this post signals Takaichi’s determination to break through the prevailing deadlock.

Taking bold steps to dismantle outdated regulations that hinder private-sector innovation and the adoption of digital technologies across society will not only raise the economy’s potential growth rate but also reduce wasteful government spending by reforming bloated subsidies and inefficient administrative processes.

Nakatsuka is expected to take the lead in promoting regulatory, administrative, and fiscal reform to achieve the Takaichi administration’s goal of balancing sustainable fiscal management with economic growth.

Other top priorities include abduction issue and constitutional amendment

The retention of key ministers responsible for foreign affairs, national security, and economic and fiscal policies is desirable from the perspective of policy continuity and effectiveness. If cabinet ministers are shuffled every year, they cannot steadily implement complex policy roadmaps or demonstrate leadership over the vast bureaucracy.

Currently, Japan’s security environment and economic situation are in the midst of turbulent change, requiring fundamental action without delay. In the face of mounting challenges such as addressing rising prices, ensuring a stable energy supply, and responding to severe geopolitical risks, Japan has no room to waste time on ideology-driven theorizing or political posturing.

Takaichi has also begun making appointments to party headquarters that report directly to the party president, including the heads of headquarters tasked with addressing the abduction issue and advancing constitutional amendment. Both are among the highest-priority issues that the administration must tackle.

It is hoped that the get-things-done cabinet led by Takaichi will implement policies promptly with decisiveness and deliver tangible results quickly.

Takashi Arimoto is a Planning Committee member at the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals and a columnist at the Sankei Shimbun newspaper.