Photo/Illutration Fumio Kishida speaks to reporters at the headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo on Sept. 30. (Hikaru Uchida)

Fumio Kishida will name Akira Amari secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, select Sanae Takaichi to chair the party’s Policy Research Council and appoint Hirokazu Matsuno as Chief Cabinet Secretary, sources said.

They also said Taro Kono, the state minister in charge of administrative reform, will be named chairman of the LDP Public Relations Headquarters, while Lower House member Tatsuo Fukuda will head the party’s General Affairs Committee.

A day after winning the party’s presidential election and assured of becoming prime minister, Kishida spent much of Sept. 30 trying to decide on the executive lineup of the LDP and posts in the Cabinet.

“It’s been a hectic day already,” Kishida told reporters at 10:30 a.m.

But he declined to comment on who would be appointed to those positions.

“I’m thinking a lot,” he said.

The sources said Amari, the chairman of the LDP’s Research Commission on Tax System, would be given the No. 2 post in the party.

Amari is a senior member of the faction led by Finance Minister Taro Aso and played a critical behind-the-scenes role in securing the election victory for Kishida.

Takaichi, a former internal affairs minister, and former education minister Matsuno were also believed to be on Kishida’s short list of potential appointees for a party or Cabinet position.

The sources said Takaichi will take over the role of LDP policy chief, while Matsuno will become the chief government spokesman. Initially, education minister Koichi Hagiuda was expected to take the post.

In addition, Toshiaki Endo, a former Olympics minister, will take charge of the LDP’s Election Strategy Headquarters, and Tsuyoshi Takagi, a former reconstruction minister, will be appointed head of the Diet Affairs Committee, the sources said.

Yuko Obuchi, a former economy minister, will be named chief of the Party Organization and Campaign Headquarters.

Kishida had said he would consider appointing his election rivals--Takaichi, Kono and Seiko Noda--to positions in the party or the Cabinet where they “can display their competence and capability.”

All eyes in Nagatacho are watching to see Kishida’s post-election treatment of party factions and other members.

Aso backed Kishida in the campaign, even though Kono is a member of Aso’s faction.

Abe wields significant influence in the Hosoda faction, the largest in the party, and supported Takaichi, a close ally, in the LDP election.

Fukuda and Takagi are members of the Hosoda faction.

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