First Abe cabinet

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The First Abe cabinet governed Japan under the leadership of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from September 2006 to September 2007. The government was a coalition between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito and controlled both the upper and lower houses of the National Diet.The cabinet faced policy issues regarding government debts and the shrinking population. At a joint press conference Hakuo Yanagisawa, who was appointed Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, spoke to a number of issues including reform of the Social Insurance Agency, measures against the decline in the birthrate, the unification of the Employees Pension Plan and the Mutual Pension Plan for public servants, and revision of labor-related laws. At the onset Prime Minister Abe's approval rating was 70%, but dropped to 30% prior to the 2007 House of Councilors election, which resulted in the LDP losing the Upper House to the Democratic Party of Japan and becoming the second party for the first time in its history. Abe subsequently resigned, citing health reasons. Abe was criticized for not explaining his thinking enough to show where Japan was going.