Opposition CDP to Reshuffle Leadership Team Fri.

Tokyo, Aug. 23 (Jiji Press)--The opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan plans to reshuffle its leadership team on Friday, following its defeat in the House of Councillors election in July, party sources said Tuesday.

CDP leader Kenta Izumi, who is set to stay on, will propose personnel changes and seek approval for them at a meeting of CDP lawmakers on that day, according to the sources.

Izumi is slated to appoint former Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, 69, a party heavyweight, to the key post of secretary-general, replacing incumbent Chinami Nishimura.

Former Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Akira Nagatsuma, 62, is seen assuming the post of policy chief, and former Diet affairs chief Jun Azumi, 60, is likely to return to the post.

In the Upper House election, the CDP reduced its seats from 23 to 17. The number of votes it garnered under the proportional representation scheme came to 6.77 million, falling below the number of such votes for another opposition, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party).

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]