TOKYO, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Monday appointed Foreign Minister Taro Aso and two other lawmakers as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's new key executives, after the LDP's crushing defeat in July's upper house election.

The LDP General Council endorsed in the morning the appointments of Aso as secretary general, the party's No. 2 after party president Abe, Toshihiro Nikai, as chairman of the General Council and Nobuteru Ishihara, as chairman of the Policy Research Council.

The party leadership revamping and a Cabinet reshuffle scheduled later in the day are both seen as the premier's efforts to regain public trust following his ruling party's failure to retain majority in the House of Councilors.

The 66-year-old Aso has been foreign minister both in Abe's and former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinets. He acted as LDP's chairman of the Policy Research Council. Nikai and Ishihara were both Cabinet ministers at Koizumi's premiership.

The LDP meeting also appointed other party posts including acting secretary general, parliament committee chairman and election strategy director.


Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe walks in front of the names of the party candidates as he makes an appearance before the media at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo July 29, 2007 after an upper house election. (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)