Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is likely to retain Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in a Cabinet reshuffle that could take place in the latter half of this month, government sources said. Motegi, a rival in last year’s Liberal Democratic Party leadership race, is expected to stay as Japan confronts the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, worsening ties with China and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara is also expected to remain. In the LDP leadership, Takaichi plans to retain former Prime Minister Taro Aso as vice president and Shunichi Suzuki as secretary general. The reported continuity comes alongside expectations that Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama will remain, preserving Tokyo’s established channels on US-Japan financial cooperation and fiscal reform.