Abe launched a major cabinet reshuffle for safer hands

Laying the groundwork for the day's moves, he appointed a new team to lead his Liberal Democratic Party by naming Foreign Minister Taro Aso to the job of secretary general, its top position after the premier.

Aso is seen as popular within the LDP, which is reeling after last month losing control of the upper house of parliament for the first time since the party was founded in 1955.

The premier was expected to opt for safety in the reshuffle in the face of record low approval ratings and calls from backbenchers to stand down after the election defeat, which followed a series of scandals involving members of the outgoing cabinet.

The conservative premier has refused to go, insisting voters supported his ideas and were upset by the scandals.

Aso said the party had to win back a disillusioned public but faced tough times ahead with one chamber controlled by the centre-left opposition.

"The major task for us, the Liberal Democratic Party, is to restore people's trust in the party and show firm measures to cope with people's concerns over the future," he told reporters.

Formal announcements of the cabinet changes were expected later on Monday.

The key LDP post of policy chief went to Nobuteru Ishihara, 50, a former transport minister and son of Tokyo's popular Governor Shintaro Ishihara and who is regarded as a rising star in the party.