The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Tokyo

Japan's embattled Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda plans to reshuffle his cabinet on Friday in a bid to revive sagging approval ratings, television reports said Thursday.

The private Asahi and NTV networks, quoting unidentified sources, said that Fukuda would announce the reshuffle on Friday. Public broadcaster NHK said that the move would come "within the week."

Officials declined comment but said that Fukuda would meet early Friday with the leader of New Komeito, the junior partner in the Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling coalition.

Japanese media polls show Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's public support has been hurt by a series of scandals about missing pension records, arrests of defense officials and alleged bribery. His overall approval rating has fallen to about 20 percent in recent months, several polls found.

Fukuda has failed to achieve the popularity of the flamboyant former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

Fukuda will meet Thursday with ministers to discuss the matter and would soon announce a decision, said Nobutaka Machimura, the chief government spokesman.

The opposition, which controls the parliamentary upper house, has been challenging the ruling party about the scandals and pressing for a snap-election. Fukuda's Liberal Democratic Party controls the more powerful lower house in a coalition.