五名女性被提名进入日本内阁，此举凸显了安倍晋三首相致力于更好地动员女性协助振兴经济。

在新内阁的18名成员中，女性人数是自2001年以来最多的。在即将卸任的内阁中，只有两名女成员。

安倍首相曾经表示，他希望到2020年日本政界和企业界30%的领导人将由女性担任，以帮助解决日本日益严重的劳动力短缺问题。

在星期三宣布这一决定之前，日本内阁官房长官菅义伟说，赋予女性权力将是安倍政府的主要支柱之一。

安倍首相的几名主要内阁成员留任，包括财务大臣麻生太郎、外交大臣安田文雄和官房长官菅义伟。

这是安倍晋三第一次改组内阁。安倍自2012年就任首相以来，民众支持率从60%左右下降到50%左右。

Five women have been named to Japan's new cabinet, underscoring Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's commitment to better utilizing women to help revitalize the economy.

The new 18-member lineup has more female members than any Japanese cabinet since 2001. It includes more than the outgoing cabinet, which had just two female ministers.

Prime Minister Abe has said he wants women to make up 30 percent of Japan's political and business leaders by 2020, to help address Japan's worsening shortage of workers.

Before the move was announced Wednesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said empowering women will be one of the "big pillars" of Mr. Abe's  government.

Mr. Abe retained several key ministers, including Finance Minister Taro Aso, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

It is the first cabinet reshuffle for Mr. Abe, who has seen his popularity fall to around 50.