Former PM Taro Aso picked as ruling party's vice-president

Ms Sanae Takaichi, who is expected to become Japan's next prime minister, chose former premier and party heavyweight Taro Aso on Oct 7 as vice-president of her ruling party, a move some analysts saw as a restraining force against big fiscal spending.

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Ms Takaichi also chose former finance minister Shunichi Suzuki as secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, a job that wields huge influence in party affairs, in a lineup of key party posts announced on Oct 7.

The announcements came after the ruling party picked Ms Takaichi, a fiscal and monetary dove, as its head on Oct 4.

Japan's share prices surged, and the yen slumped this week on market expectations Ms Takaichi will deploy big fiscal stimulus and pressure the central bank to go slow in raising interest rates.