Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Monday his intention to reshuffle his cabinet in September but to keep the House of Representatives intact, despite a crushing defeat in Sunday's House of Councilors election, DPA reported. Abe affirmed at a press conference his decision to continue serving as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). "I will keep promoting reforms. I expect (the LDP senior officials) to tackle the issue of money and politics more vigorously," Abe reportedly told the board members Monday. The LDP board was expected to meet later with the opposition parties to set a four-day extraordinary Diet session to open on August 7. The LDP met with New Komeito party leaders Monday afternoon and reaffirmed their coalition. Abe's ruling coalition suffered a crushing defeat in Sunday's election for House of Councilors, failing to keep the majority in the upper chamber of the Japanese parliament for the first time since 1998. The opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), on the other hand, became the first party other than the LDP to secure the most number of seats in the upper house since the LDP was established in 1955. Although the election loss Sunday put immense pressure on Abe to resign, the 52-year-old premier announced his intention to stay in power. "This humiliating setback is my responsibility," Abe said in a television interview, adding "Our nation building has just begun... I would like to continue to fulfill my responsibility as prime minister."
