Japan's cabinet resigns after election
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-21 10:10

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's entire Cabinet resigned on Wednesday following his landslide electoral win last week, but he was expected to rename the same ministers to his new government, AP reported.

The resignations came in a special Cabinet session early Wednesday, said Health Minister Hidehisa Otsuji.

Koizumi's ruling coalition triumphed in Sept. 11 lower house elections, and the Cabinet resignation was a procedural move allowing Koizumi to form a new government after being re-elected as prime minister by parliament later Wednesday.

Koizumi has said he would keep the same Cabinet until the passage of closely watched postal privatization legislation. Media reports have said he plans to shuffle the Cabinet in November.

Privatization of the postal service was to be the centerpiece of the special session of parliament to start later Wednesday. The government was expected to submit its proposals next week, aiming at a vote in mid-October.

The top opposition Democratic Party of Japan, in disarray following its devastating defeat last week, was expected to come up with its own proposal.

The Koizumi plan would privatize the postal system by 2017. Under the original bills, the 10-year privatization process was slated to start in April 2007, but the political wrangling over the package has forced the government to delay the launch for some six months, and reports say another delay is possible into 2008.

During the campaign, the Democrats touted an alternative proposal to limit the amount of deposits into Japan Post, but that is being reconsidered following the election.

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