World Notes Japan

Fresh from his party's stunning parliamentary election victory, Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone announced a wholesale shuffle of his Cabinet. After being reappointed Prime Minister by parliament, Nakasone last week replaced all but one of his 21 Cabinet officers. Two Nakasone rivals, Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe and Finance Minister Noboru Takeshita, were given top jobs within the Liberal Democratic Party hierarchy.

The most significant new appointment was that of Kiichi Miyazawa as Finance Minister. Miyazawa, considered a possible successor to Nakasone, has been a biting critic of the Prime Minister's economic policies and has called repeatedly for increased government spending to stimulate the Japanese economy. Putting Miyazawa in the hot seat at the Finance Ministry may be Nakasone's way of forcing him to do more -- and speak less.