Taichi Sakaiya, who declined to stay on as chief of the Economic Planning Agency during the recent Cabinet reshuffle, was appointed Thursday as a special adviser, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said.

Sakaiya, a well-known author, will work part-time to counsel Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori on the government-sponsored Internet Fair 2001 project and various economic issues, Fukuda said.

During his term as EPA chief, Sakaiya also served as state minister in charge of the Internet Fair, a yearlong online event that will begin on Dec. 31.