Japan's PM reshuffles cabinet

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has reshuffled his Cabinet,  replacing five members including two ministers responsible for a series of gaffes in a bid to win more cooperation from the opposition to raise the sales tax and rein in the country's bulging fiscal deficit. But concerns are also growing that Noda's latest move could trigger renewed conflict within the Democratic Party of Japan, mainly between supporters and adversaries of the tax hike, lawmakers of the ruling party said, Kyodo news agency reported on Friday. The reshuffle aims to "strengthen the ability" of the government to tackle the country's tax and social security reforms, which is '"a key challenge that cannot be escaped", Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said at a press conference. Fujimura, who announced the lineup of the reshuffled Cabinet, said Noda has appointed former Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Katsuya Okada as deputy prime minister to lead tax reforms. Defence Minister Yasuo Ichikawa and Consumer Affairs Minister Kenji Yamaokase had been censured by the upper house over various remarks. Twelve posts, including finance and foreign minister, remained unchanged.