On Tuesday, the nation's newly minted prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, formed his first Cabinet, and like the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election he just won, the outcome was unexpected.
Normally, a first-time LDP leader seeks to establish a “unity” Cabinet filled with a mix of politicians representing different elements of the party. The obvious aim is to support consensus building within the party and to ensure that no one clique gains too much influence. And, a politician promising a modern style of leadership might seek a diverse group of appointees with a healthy mix of ages and genders.
That was not the case here.
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