Japan: Cabinet Plays Musical Chairs After Scandals Flare

Amid multiple scandals and dismal approval ratings, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has finally pulled the trigger on a long-awaited Cabinet reshuffle. With polling pegging his Cabinet at 35 percent (down from 58 percent in February), he hopes this will help shore up support ahead of the likely start of a special Diet session in September and by-elections for the lower house in October. Abe’s ambitious reform agenda could be in jeopardy unless he regains his footing....