Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi plans to reshuffle the Cabinet in September, members of his Liberal Democratic Party said Sunday.

Koizumi has begun discussing the issue with LDP members, and he thinks it necessary to make a fresh start following public criticism of the failure to pay pension premiums by seven of his Cabinet ministers, not to mention himself, the LDP members said.

Of the seven, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda stepped down to take responsibility for the nonpayment and was replaced by Hiroyuki Hosoda on May 7.

The timing of the anticipated reshuffle falls on the expirations of LDP executive posts in September.

Depending on the development of the pension scandal, however, there is a possibility he will reshuffle the Cabinet shortly after the House of Councilors election, which is expected for July 11, they said.

The focus of attention is selection of a Cabinet minister to be in charge of postal privatization, and whether to replace Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, as some LDP lawmakers oppose her holding the post despite not being a Diet member, they said.

Also at issue is whether to retain the six remaining ministers who failed to make pension premium payments in the past, they said.

Of the six, Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki and Financial Services Minister Heizo Takenaka have taken a great deal of flak in connection with the scandal; they are closely involved in the effort to reform the pension system.

The four others are Taro Aso, minister of public management; Shoichi Nakagawa, minister of economy, trade and industry; Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba; and Toshimitsu Motegi, minister in charge of Okinawa and Northern Territory affairs.