DPJ AT THE HELM / Disarray in forming Cabinet / Hatoyama f.

DPJ AT THE HELM / Disarray in forming Cabinet / Hatoyama forced to appease party heavyweights, even rescind offer

Takeo Azuma and Tetsuya Ennyu / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

Yomiuri

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's selection of his Cabinet was occasionally chaotic and influenced by the power structure within the Democratic Party of Japan, although Hatoyama tried hard to combine veteran party lawmakers with those who could serve as the "faces" of the party.

Hatoyama initially considered appointing People's New Party leader Shizuka Kamei as defense minister. He consulted Kamei about the appointment behind the scenes and obtained a favorable response.

When word of this plan began to spread, however, many DPJ members were against it. Katsuya Okada, who had already been informally named as foreign minister, voiced his opposition at a Monday national security group study meeting with other DPJ member.

According to some in attendance, Okada mentioned talks between Japan's foreign and defense ministers and their counterparts in the United States--known as two-plus-two talks--saying: "The post of defense …