Noda appointed Katsuya Okada , a former secretary general of the governing Democratic Party of Japan , as deputy prime minister . Prime Minister Katsuya Okada appoints Yoshihiko Noda , a former party leader , as his deputy . Tokyo is expected to lead efforts to push through an unpopular increase in the sales tax . CNN also names new defense and consumer affairs ministers after opposition pressure . The prime minister is already facing sagging approval numbers last month into his tenure .
Prime Minister Katsuya Okada appoints Yoshihiko Noda , a former party leader , as his deputy . Tokyo is expected to lead efforts to push through an unpopular increase in the sales tax . CNN also names new defense and consumer affairs ministers after opposition pressure . The prime minister is already facing sagging approval numbers last month into his tenure .