Report No.240104
Vol.24 No.1 September 2006

- Domestic -

Mr. Yoshio Kobayashi becomes the next MAFF Vice-Minister

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) issued on August 1 an announcement on personnel changes that appointed Mr. Yoshio Kobayashi as the vice- minister, succeeding Mr. Mamoru Ishihara who retired from the post. Mr. Toshiaki Shirasu, Minister's Secretariat Director-General, succeeds Mr. Kobayashi as the Fisheries Agency Director-General. For the post of Minister's Secretariat Director-General, Mr. Michio Ide, Management Improvement Bureau Director-General, is picked. For the post of Management Improvement Bureau Director-General, Mr. Hiroshi Takahashi (Minister's Secretariat Director-General for Policy Coordination) is appointed. Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa retired as Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau Director-General, succeeded by Mr. Katsuhiro Machida, Agricultural Production Bureau, Livestock Industry Department Director-General.

Personnel changes involving other ranking officials include the following: 

MAFF, as of the same day, made organizational reform involving Minister's Secretariat International Affairs Department, Food Safety and Consumer Affairs Bureau and the Forestry Agency (see February 2006 issue for details.)

Furthermore, as of August 8, Mr. Hiroyuki Kinoshita retired as the Vice-Minister for International Affairs and Mr. Hidenori Murakami, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council Director-General, succeeded the post. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council Director-General is assumed by Mr. Kenji Takahashi, Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport, Minister's Secretariat Councillor.

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