Today, the Japanese Prime Minister announced changes to his cabinet.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in his cabinet reshuffle, is expected to make safe choices amid intense pressure on his administration.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and members of the Liberal Democratic Party at the party convention in March 2017. Photo: Reuters

According to Kyodo News, Prime Minister Abe will announce his appointments today (August 3). Accordingly, veteran diplomat Taro Kono will be appointed Foreign Minister, while Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will become the chairman of the policy office of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Itsunori Onodera is expected to return to the position of Defense Minister, a role he held before Abe's presidency, replacing Tomomi Inada, who recently resigned.

Former Trade Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will become Economy Minister, while Finance Minister Taro Aso will retain his position, according to Japanese media.

Additionally, former Cabinet minister Seiko Noda may become the Minister of Internal Affairs in an effort to attract female voters.

Several new names, such as Shinjiro Koizumi, were once predicted to join the cabinet, but the talented young politician has not appeared in media reports recently.

Although Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga asserted that the cabinet reshuffle was aimed at promoting economic reforms, the move was clearly intended to salvage the credibility of the Abe administration.

Recent polls have shown that support for the Abe administration has fallen to a record low, below 30%, following a series of cabinet scandals and a defeat in the Tokyo metropolitan election.

However, observers believe that reforms will not improve the situation.

"I don't think Abe will have any surprises in his reshuffle that could revive the poll numbers," Reuters quoted the director of Asian studies at Temple University in Japan as saying.

According to Tuoi Tre newspaper