Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet reshuffle and impending stimulus could expedite a snap election, bolstering his Western-facing security agenda and economic policies. Stimulus could also accelerate Kishida's plans to regain control over Japan's monetary policy. Kishida on Sept. 13 revealed 11 new members of a 19-member Cabinet, including five women (up from two previously), as well as new defense and foreign ministers. He also kept a mixture of figures from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) four largest factions in both his Cabinet and LDP party leadership itself. Much of the economy-related portfolios remained the same, including the finance and industry ministers, as well as the minister in charge of economic security. However, Kishida replaced Economic Revitalization Minister Shigeyuki Goto, formerly of the finance ministry (known for its budgetary prudence), with Yoshitaka Shindo, former vice minister of the economy and industry ministry....
