Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka formally gave in to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's ministry personnel requests Friday, agreeing to appoint Deputy Foreign Minister Ryozo Kato as the next ambassador to the United States, replacing Shunji Yanai.
In the list of personnel changes agreed to Friday, Yoshiji Nogami, deputy foreign minister in charge of economic affairs will become the next vice foreign minister, replacing Yutaka Kawashima.
Tanaka, who yielded Thursday night to Koizumi's demands to replace four recent vice foreign ministers, including Yanai, over a string of ministry scandals, told a news conference Friday evening she still thought it best that Yanai stay on as ambassador to the U.S. to handle U.S. President George W. Bush's visit to Japan in October.
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