Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� October, 2002

Senior Vice-Ministers Meeting Wednesday, October 2, 2002 Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi attended the first Senior Vice-Ministers Meeting since his Cabinet reshuffle, at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. At an extraordinary Cabinet Meeting in the afternoon, 22 Senior Vice-Ministers including two continuing in their posts were decided, after which an attestation ceremony was held at the Imperial Palace. Senior Vice Minister fo Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Kaneshige Wakamatsu and Senior Vice Minister of Finance Takayoshi Taniguchi retained their positions, while Tatsuya Ito, Takumi Nemoto and Kenzo Yoneda were appointed as Senior Vice Ministers of Cabinet Office; Norihiko Akagi as Senior Vice Minister of Defense Agency; Norifumi Kato as Senior Vice Minister for Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications; Toshio Masuda as Senior Vice Minister of Justice; Toshimitsu Motegi and Tetsuro Yano as Senior Vice Ministers for Foreign Affairs; Kouki Kobayashi as Senior Vice Minister of Finance; Takeo Kawamura and Kisaburo Tokai as Senior Vice Ministers of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; Ichiro Kamoshita and Yoshio Kimura as Senior Vice Ministers of Health, Labour and Welfare; Toyoaki Oota and Naoto Kitamura as Senior Vice Ministers of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Sanae Takaichi and Taiichiro Nishikawa as Senior Vice Ministers of Economy, Trade and Industry; Kouki Chuuma and Gotaro Yoshimura as Senior Vice Ministers of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; and Kazuo Hirotomo as Senior Vice Minister of the Environment. In his opening remarks at the Senior Vice-Ministers Meeting on this evening, Prime Minister Koizumi reiterated his commitment to advancing reform.