Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reshuffled his cabinet on Monday.

Koizumi replaced most of the 17 ministers in the current cabinet. Acting Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party Shinzo Abe, 51, was named chief cabinet secretary.

Abe announced the list of ministers at a press conference.

Taro Aso, 65, was appointed as foreign minister. He served as public management minister before the reshuffle.

Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki and Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Heizo Takenaka remained in the cabinet. The latter was assigned to replace Aso and take charge of the privatization of Japan's post services.

The two figures were playing major roles in Koizumi's structural reform campaign.

Fukushiro Nukaga, 61, was appointed as defense agency director general. He figured prominently in making defense and foreign policies in the ruling party.

Koizumi's last term as the leader of the LDP expires next September. He has dismissed the possibility of serving a new term as the party's resident as well as the prime minister.

The new reshuffle was regarded as a move through which Koizumi intends to have his policies carried through smoothly after his stepping down.

Abe, the son of former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, is known as a hardliner in foreign policy. He also is regarded a potent contender to the ruling party's leadership and the premiership, along with Tanigaki and Aso.

Kazuo Kitagawa, minister of land, infrastructure and transport, stayed in office as the only cabinet member from the LDP's ruling partner -- the New Komeito party.

Kitagawa has criticized Koizumi for his visits to the war criminal-related Yasukuni Shrine.

Among the two female ministers, Environment Minister Yuriko Koike, 53, was reappointed. She was a well-know figure among ordinary Japanese.

Kuniko Inoguchi, was assigned the post dealing with gender equality and dwindling birth rate.

Inoguchi, 53, once served as ambassador to the United Nations Conference on Disarmament for two years from April 2002.

Backgrounder: Chronology of Koizumi administration in Japan

The following is the chronology of the administration of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi:

2001:

April 24 -- Koizumi is elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party.

April 26 -- Koizumi forms his first cabinet.

July 29 -- The LDP claims landslide victory in the House of Councilors election by winning 64 seats.

Aug. 13 -- Koizumi visits war-related Yasukuni Shrine for the first time as prime minister.

2002:

April 21 -- Koizumi pays second visit to Yasukuni Shrine.

Sept. 17 -- Koizumi visits the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and signs the Pyongyang Declaration with the DPRK leader Kim Jong Il

Sept. 30 -- Koizumi reshuffles his cabinet.

2003:

Jan. 14 -- Koizumi pays third visit to Yasukuni.

June 6 -- The parliament enacts contingency laws.

July 26 -- The parliament enacts law on special measures to aid Iraqi reconstruction.

Sept. 20 -- Koizumi is reelected as LDP president.

Sept. 22 -- Koizumi launches reshuffled Cabinet.

Nov. 9 -- The LDP and its coalition ally New Komeito party win stable majority in the House of Representatives election.

Nov. 19 -- Koizumi launches new cabinet while reappointing all ministers.

Dec. 9 -- The cabinet decides to send Self-Defense Forces troops to Iraq.

2004:

Jan. 1 -- Koizumi pays fourth visit to the Yasukuni Shrine.

May 7 -- Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda resigns over pension scandal.

May 22 -- Koizumi revisits Pyongyang.

Sept. 27 -- Koizumi launches reshuffled new cabinet.

Dec. 9 -- The cabinet decides to extend SDF mission in Iraq another year.

Dec. 10 -- The cabinet decides on new basic defense program, moderates parts of three arms export principles.

2005:

Aug. 8 -- Koizumi dissolves the lower house after upper house rejects postal privatization bills.

Sept. 11 -- The LDP claims landslide victory in the general election.

Oct. 17 -- Koizumi visits the Yasukuni Shrine for the fifth time.

Oct. 31 -- Koizumi reshuffles cabinet.

Source: Xinhua