TOKYO, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe changed his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) line-up on Tuesday, following the party's leadership election on Sept. 20 during which he won against sole rival former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
The changes to the line-up, which included two executive posts being changed, also come ahead of the upper house election next year, as Abe's push to amend Japan's pacifist constitution comes ever closer.
Katsunobu Kato, who currently serves as welfare minister, was named by Abe as chairman of the party's decision-making General Council, and former economy minister Akira Amari was named as head of the LDP's Election Strategy Committee.
Toshihiro Nikai was retained by Abe as secretary general, the second highest post in the party, and Fumio Kishida was retained as policy chief.
Wataru Takeshita who supported Ishiba in the party's leadership race was replaced by Kato.
Former education minister and strong ally of Abe's, Hakubun Shimomura, was picked as head of the party's panel on constitutional revision and among other important party posts, Koichi Hagiuda was kept on as acting secretary general and Hiroshi Moiriyama as Diet Affairs Committee chief.
