Party official: Fukuda to make decision over Cabinet reshuffle

TOKYO, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda will make up his mind over reshuffling the Cabinet as early as Thursday, Bunmei Ibuki, secretary general and No. 2 of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party said on Wednesday.

After meeting with Fukuda early in the afternoon, Ibuki told reporters that the prime minister planned to put forward his ideas about the Cabinet reshuffle within the ruling party after hearing reports about the World Trade Organization negotiation process by Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Masatoshi Wakabayashiand Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akira Amari, Kyodo News said.

The two ministers are scheduled to come back to Japan Thursday.

Words about Fukuda's possible reshuffle of the Cabinet in late July have been circulating since earlier this month.