TOKYO, Oct. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reshuffled his cabinet on Monday by replacing most of the 17 ministers in the current government.

    Acting Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shinzo Abe, 51, was named chief cabinet secretary. Abe announced the list of ministers at a press conference.

    Taro Aso, 65, was appointed as foreign minister. He served as public management minister before the reshuffle.

    Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki and Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Heizo Takenaka remained in the cabinet. The latter was assigned to replace Aso and take charge of the privatization of Japan's post services.

    The two figures were playing major roles in Koizumi's structural reform campaign.

    Fukushiro Nukaga, 61, was appointed as defense agency director general. He figured prominently in making defense and foreign policies in the ruling party.

    Koizumi's last term as the leader of the LDP expires next September. He has dismissed the possibility of serving a new term as the party's president as well as the prime minister.

    The new reshuffle was regarded as a move through which Koizumi intends to have his policies carried through smoothly after his stepping down.

    Koizumi told a press conference after the reshuffle that the new cabinet is "a cabinet for pushing forward with reforms."

    Koizumi noted that he doesn't think those who stay out of the reform track will become the next prime minister and the LDP leader.

    Abe, the son of former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, is known as a hard-liner in foreign policy. He also is regarded as a potent contender to the ruling party's leadership and the premiership, along with Tanigaki and Aso.

    At the press conference, Abe assumed a hard attitude toward dealing with foreign policy, saying he will continue to visit the war criminal-related Yasukuni Shrine and stick to the strategy of pressure and dialogue in dealing with the relationship with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

    The visits to the shrine by senior Japanese officials have been a major stumbling block in Japan's relations with neighboring countries, especially China and South Korea.

    Aso, who is one of the pilgrims, said Japan and China have different views on the issue and dialogue is the only means in addressing it in the future.

    Kazuo Kitagawa, minister of land, infrastructure and transport,stayed in office as the only cabinet member from the LDP's ruling partner -- the New Komeito party.

    Kitagawa has criticized Koizumi for his visits to the war criminal-related Yasukuni Shrine.

    Among the two female ministers, Environment Minister Yuriko Koike, 53, was reappointed. She was a well-known figure among ordinary Japanese.

    Kuniko Inoguchi was assigned the post dealing with gender equality and dwindling birth rate.

    Inoguchi, 53, once served as ambassador to the United Nations Conference on Disarmament for two years from April 2002. Enditem