The Fourth Abe Cabinet governed Japan under the leadership of Prime Minister Shinzō Abe from November 2017 to September 2020. The government is a coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito (which had changed its name from "New Komeito" in the 2012–2014 term) and controls both the upper and lower houses of the National Diet.

Fourth Abe Cabinet

98th Cabinet of Japan
1 November 201716 September 2020
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe (front row, centre) with the re-elected cabinet inside the Kantei, November 1, 2017
Date formedNovember 1, 2017
Date dissolvedSeptember 16, 2020
People and organisations
Head of stateEmperor Akihito
Head of governmentShinzō Abe
Deputy head of governmentTarō Asō
Member partyLiberal DemocraticKomeito Coalition
Status in legislatureHoR: LDP-K Coalition supermajority
HoC: LDP-K Coalition majority
Opposition partyConstitutional Democratic Party of Japan
Opposition leaderYukio Edano
History
Elections2017 general election
2019 councillors election
PredecessorThird Abe Cabinet
SuccessorSuga Cabinet

Following his resignation, the Fourth Abe cabinet was dissolved on September 16, 2020, and replaced with the Suga cabinet.

According to research by Nikkan Gendai, 10 out of 20 members in the Fourth Abe Cabinet had connections to the Unification Church.[1] These connections were largely not reported by Japanese media at the time.[2]

Background

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Election of the prime minister

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1 November 2017
House of Representatives
Absolute majority (233/465) required
Choice Vote
Caucuses Votes
 YShinzō Abe LDP (282), Independent [Speaker] (1), Komeito (29)
312 / 465
Yukio Edano CDP (55), Liberal (2), SDP (2), Independent [Vice Speaker] (1)
60 / 465
Shū Watanabe Kibō (51)
51 / 465
Kōhei Ōtsuka Independents formerly from DP (16)
16 / 465
Kazuo Shii JCP (12)
12 / 465
Toranosuke Katayama Ishin (11)
11 / 465
Seiji Maehara Independent [Katsuhito Nakajima] (1)
1 / 465
Eiichirō Washio Independent [Eiichirō Washio] (1)
1 / 465
Invalid ballot LDP (1)
1 / 465
Source: 195th Diet Session (House of Representatives) (roll call only lists individual votes, not grouped by caucus)
1 November 2017
House of Councillors
Absolute majority (122/242) required
Choice Vote
Caucuses Votes
 YShinzō Abe LDP-Kokoro (124), Komeito (24), Independents Club (2) , Independent (1)
151 / 242
Kōhei Ōtsuka DP (47), Independent [Vice President] (1)
48 / 242
Kazuo Shii JCP (14)
14 / 242
Toranosuke Katayama Ishin (11)
11 / 242
Yukio Edano Hope Coalition (Liberal and SDP) (6), Okinawa Whirlwind (2), Independent-CDP [Tetsuro Fukuyama] (1)
9 / 242
Shū Watanabe Kibō (3)
3 / 242
Kenzō Fujisue Kokumin no Koe [People's Voice] (2)
2 / 242
Blank ballot Independent [Kazuyuki Yamaguchi] (1)
1 / 242
Did not vote Independent [President] (1), LDP-Kokoro (1), Komeito (1)
3 / 242
Source: 195th Diet Session (House of Councillors) (lists individual votes grouped by caucus)

Lists of ministers

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  Liberal Democratic
  Komeito
R = Member of the House of Representatives
C = Member of the House of Councillors

Cabinet

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Fourth Abe Cabinet from November 1, 2017 to October 2, 2018
Portfolio Minister Term
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe R December 26, 2012 – September 16, 2020
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Finance
Minister of State for Financial Services
Minister in charge of Overcoming Deflation
Tarō Asō R December 26, 2012 – October 4, 2021
Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications
Minister of State for Women's Empowerment
Minister of State for Gender Equality
Minister of State for the Social Security and Tax Number System
Seiko Noda R August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Minister of Justice Yōko Kamikawa R August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Minister of Foreign Affairs Tarō Kōno R August 3, 2017 – September 11, 2019
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Minister in charge of Education Rebuilding
Yoshimasa Hayashi C August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare
Minister for Working-style Reform
Minister in charge of the Abduction Issue
Minister of State for the Abduction Issue
Katsunobu Katō R August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ken Saitō R August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
Minister of State for Industrial Competitiveness
Minister for Economic Cooperation with Russia
Minister in charge of the Response to the Economic Impact caused by the Nuclear Accident
Minister of State for the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation
Hiroshige Sekō C August 3, 2016 – September 11, 2019
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Minister of State for Water Cycle Policy
Keiichi Ishii R October 7, 2015 – September 11, 2019
Minister of the Environment
Minister of State for Nuclear Emergency Preparedness
Masaharu Nakagawa C August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Minister of Defense Itsunori Onodera R August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Chief Cabinet Secretary
Minister in charge of Alleviating the Burden of the Bases in Okinawa
Yoshihide Suga R December 26, 2012 – September 16, 2020
Minister of State for Reconstruction
Minister in charge of Comprehensive Policy Coordination for Revival from the Nuclear Accident at Fukushima
Masayoshi Yoshino R April 26, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission
Minister in charge of Building National Resilience
Minister of State for Disaster Management
Hachiro Okonogi R August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety
Minister of State for Ocean Policy
Minister in charge of Territorial Issues
Tetsuma Esaki R August 3, 2017 – February 27, 2018
Teru Fukui R February 27, 2018 – October 2, 2018
Minister for Promoting Dynamic Engagement of All Citizens
Minister in charge of Information Technology Policy
Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate
Minister of State for the "Cool Japan" Strategy
Minister of State for the Intellectual Property Strategy
Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy
Minister of State for Space Policy
Masaji Matsuyama C August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Minister in charge of Economic Revitalization
Minister for Human Resources Development
Minister in charge of Total Reform of Social Security and Tax
Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
Toshimitsu Motegi R August 3, 2017 – September 11, 2019
Minister of State for Regional Revitalization
Minister of State for Regulatory Reform
Minister in charge of Regional Revitalization
Minister of State for Administrative Reform
Minister of State for Civil Service Reform
Hiroshi Kajiyama R August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Minister of State for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Shun'ichi Suzuki R August 3, 2017 – October 2, 2018
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Political Affairs – House of Representatives) Yasutoshi Nishimura R August 3, 2017 – September 11, 2019
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Political Affairs – House of Councillors) Kōtarō Nogami C August 13, 2016 – September 11, 2019
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Bureaucrat) Kazuhiro Sugita December 26, 2012 – October 4, 2021

Changes

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  • February 27, 2018 – Okinawa and Northern Territories Minister Tetsuma Esaki resigned and was replaced by Teru Fukui.

First reshuffled cabinet

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Fourth Abe Cabinet
(First Reshuffle)
 
98th Cabinet of Japan
 
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe (front row, centre) with his reshuffled cabinet inside the Kantei, October 2, 2018
Date formedOctober 2, 2018
Date dissolvedSeptember 11, 2019
People and organisations
Emperor
Prime MinisterShinzo Abe
Deputy Prime MinisterTarō Asō
Member partyLiberal DemocraticKomeito Coalition
Status in legislatureHoR: LDP-K Coalition supermajority
HoC: LDP-K Coalition majority
Opposition partyConstitutional Democratic Party of Japan
Opposition leaderYukio Edano
History
Elections2017 general election
2019 councillors election
PredecessorFourth Abe Cabinet
SuccessorFourth Abe Cabinet
(Second Reshuffle)
Fourth Abe Cabinet from October 2, 2018 to September 11, 2019
Portfolio Minister Term
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe R December 26, 2012 – September 16, 2020
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Finance
Minister of State for Financial Services
Minister in charge of Overcoming Deflation
Tarō Asō R December 26, 2012 – October 4, 2021
Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications
Minister of State for the Social Security and Tax Number System
Masatoshi Ishida R October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Minister of Justice Takashi Yamashita R October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Minister of Foreign Affairs Tarō Kōno R August 3, 2017 – September 11, 2019
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Minister in charge of Education Rebuilding
Masahiko Shibayama R October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare
Minister for Working-style Reform
Takumi Nemoto R October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Takamori Yoshikawa R October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
Minister of State for Industrial Competitiveness
Minister for Economic Cooperation with Russia
Minister in charge of the Response to the Economic Impact caused by the Nuclear Accident
Minister of State for the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation
Hiroshige Sekō C August 3, 2016 – September 11, 2019
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Minister of State for Water Cycle Policy
Keiichi Ishii R October 7, 2015 – September 11, 2019
Minister of the Environment
Minister of State for Nuclear Emergency Preparedness
Yoshiaki Harada R October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Minister of Defense Takeshi Iwaya R October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Chief Cabinet Secretary
Minister in charge of Alleviating the Burden of the Bases in Okinawa
Yoshihide Suga R December 26, 2012 – September 16, 2020
Minister of State for Reconstruction
Minister in charge of Comprehensive Policy Coordination for Revival from the Nuclear Accident at Fukushima
Hiromichi Watanabe R October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission
Minister in charge of Building National Resilience
Minister of State for Disaster Management
Junzo Yamamoto C October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Minister in charge of Information Technology Policy
Minister of State for the "Cool Japan" Strategy
Minister of State for the Intellectual Property Strategy
Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy
Minister of State for Space Policy
Takuya Hirai R October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Minister for Promoting Dynamic Engagement of All Citizens
Minister of State for Administrative Reform
Minister of State for Civil Service Reform
Minister in charge of Territorial Issues
Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety
Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate
Minister of State for Ocean Policy
Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi R October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
Minister in charge of Social Security Reform
Minister in charge of TPP and Japan-U.S. Trade Negotiations
Toshimitsu Motegi R August 3, 2017 – September 11, 2019
Minister of State for Regional Revitalization
Minister of State for Regulatory Reform
Minister of State for Gender Equality
Minister in charge of Women's Empowerment
Minister in charge of Regional Revitalization
Satsuki Katayama C October 2, 2018 – September 11, 2019
Minister of State for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Yoshitaka Sakurada R October 2, 2018 – April 10, 2019
Shun'ichi Suzuki R April 10, 2019 – September 11, 2019
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Political Affairs – House of Representatives) Yasutoshi Nishimura R August 3, 2017 – September 11, 2019
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Political Affairs – House of Councillors) Kōtarō Nogami C August 13, 2016 – September 11, 2019
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Bureaucrat) Kazuhiro Sugita December 26, 2012 – October 4, 2021

Changes

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Second reshuffled cabinet

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Fourth Abe Cabinet
(Second Reshuffle)
 
98th Cabinet of Japan
 
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe (front row, centre) with his reshuffled cabinet inside the Kantei, September 11, 2019
Date formedSeptember 11, 2019
Date dissolvedSeptember 16, 2020
People and organisations
Head of stateEmperor Naruhito
Head of governmentShinzō Abe
Deputy head of governmentTarō Asō
Member partyLiberal DemocraticKomeito Coalition
Status in legislatureHoR: LDP-K Coalition supermajority
HoC: LDP-K Coalition majority
Opposition partyConstitutional Democratic Party of Japan
Opposition leaderYukio Edano
History
Elections2017 general election
2019 councillors election
PredecessorFourth Abe Cabinet
(First Reshuffle)
SuccessorSuga Cabinet
Fourth Abe Cabinet from September 11, 2019 to September 16, 2020
Portfolio Minister Term
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe R December 26, 2012 – September 16, 2020
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Finance
Minister of State for Financial Services
Minister in charge of Overcoming Deflation
Tarō Asō R December 26, 2012 – October 4, 2021
Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications
Minister of State for the Social Security and Tax Number System
Sanae Takaichi R September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Minister of Justice Katsuyuki Kawai R September 11, 2019 – October 31, 2019
Masako Mori R October 31, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi R September 11, 2019 – November 4, 2021
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Minister in charge of Education Rebuilding
Kōichi Hagiuda R September 11, 2019 – October 4, 2021
Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare
Minister in charge of Working-style Reform
Katsunobu Katō R September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Taku Etō R September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
Minister in charge of Industrial Competitiveness
Minister in charge of International Exposition
Minister of State for Economic Cooperation with Russia
Minister in charge of the Response to the Economic Impact caused by the Nuclear Accident
Minister of State for the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation
Isshu Sugawara R September 11, 2019 – October 25, 2019
Hiroshi Kajiyama R October 25, 2019 – October 4, 2021
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Minister in charge of Water Cycle Policy
Kazuyoshi Akaba R September 11, 2019 – October 4, 2021
Minister of the Environment
Minister of State for Nuclear Emergency Preparedness
Shinjirō Koizumi R September 11, 2019 – October 4, 2021
Minister of Defense Tarō Kōno R September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Chief Cabinet Secretary
Minister in charge of Mitigating the Impact of U.S. Forces in Okinawa
Minister in charge of the Abductions Issue
Yoshihide Suga R December 26, 2012 – September 16, 2020
Minister for Reconstruction
Minister in charge of Comprehensive Policy Coordination for Revival from the Nuclear Accident at Fukushima
Kazunori Tanaka R September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission
Minister in charge of Administrative Reform
Minister in charge of Civil Service Reform
Minister in charge of Building National Resilience
Minister of State for Disaster Management
Ryota Takeda R September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Minister for Promoting Dynamic Engagement of All Citizens
Minister in charge of Territorial Issues
Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety
Minister of State for Measures for the Declining Birthrate
Minister of State for Ocean Policy
Seiichi Eto C September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Minister in charge of Information Technology Policy
Minister of State for "Cool Japan" Strategy
Minister of State for the Intellectual Property Strategy
Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy
Minister of State for Space Policy
Naokazu Takemoto R September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
Minister in charge of Social Security Reform
Minister in charge of TPP and Japan-U.S. Trade Negotiations
Yasutoshi Nishimura R September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Minister of State for Regional Revitalization
Minister of State for Regulatory Reform
Seigo Kitamura R September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Minister of State for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games
Minister in charge of Women's Empowerment
Minister of State for Gender Equality
Seiko Hashimoto C September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Political Affairs – House of Representatives) Akihiro Nishimura R September 11, 2019 – September 16, 2020
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Political Affairs – House of Councillors) Naoki Okada C September 11, 2019 – October 4, 2021
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (Bureaucrat) Kazuhiro Sugita December 26, 2012 – October 4, 2021

Changes

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References

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  1. ^ "旧統一教会と「関係アリ」国会議員リスト入手! 歴代政権の重要ポスト経験者が34人も". Nikkan Gendai. 16 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Killing of Shinzo Abe shines spotlight on politicians' links with Moonies", Financial Times, 11 July 2022, archived from the original on 12 July 2022, retrieved 11 July 2022
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