Second Abe Cabinet

Second Abe Cabinet
96th cabinet of Japan
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe (front row, centre) with his new cabinet inside the Kantei, December 26, 2012
Date formed	December 26, 2012
Date dissolved	December 24, 2014
People and organisations
Head of government	Shinzō Abe
Deputy head of government	Tarō Asō
Head of state	Emperor Akihito
Member party	Liberal Democratic–New Komeito Coalition
Status in legislature	Before 2013 election: Divided Diet (Rep.: 2/3-supermajority, Coun.: minority) After 2013 election: Majorities in both houses
Opposition party	Democratic Party of Japan
Opposition leader	Banri Kaieda
History
Election(s)	est. as result of 2012 general (Representatives) election (held under previous cabinet) 2013 regular (Councillors) election
Predecessor	Noda Cabinet
Successor	Third Abe Cabinet

The Second Abe Cabinet governed Japan under the leadership of Prime Minister Shinzō Abe from December 2012 to December 2014. Following the return to power of the LDP in the 2012 general election Abe, as party president, was elected Prime Minister by the National Diet on December 26, 2012, and presented his cabinet for swearing in by the Emperor later that day. Abe formed a coalition with the New Komeito Party, which has partnered with the LDP since the late 1990s, appointing former leader Akihiro Ota as Minister of Land. Together the two parties controlled a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives, allowing the new government in most matters to override the veto of the upper house which was controlled by the opposition parties until July 2013.

This cabinet was the most stable in post-war Japanese history, with no ministerial changes for 617 day until Abe conducted a reshuffle on September 3, 2014. The core ministers for Finance, Foreign Affairs, Economic revival, Education, Land and the Chief Cabinet Secretary were all kept in post. In addition, Abe promoted 3 women to cabinet, matching the Koizumi cabinet's record of 5 women ministers.

Following the 2014 general election the Second Abe cabinet was dissolved on December 24, 2014, and replaced with the Third Abe cabinet.