Japan picks defense chief who downplays wartime past

TOKYO (AP) — A woman who has downplayed Japan's wartime actions and is known to have far-right views was named defense minister in a Cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, a move that could unsettle relations with Asian neighbors with bitter memories of World War II-era atrocities.

Abe, whose key policies include women's advancement, will have two other female Cabinet members, including one who will serve as Olympic minister after being shifted from environment minister.

While campaigning for last month's upper house elections, Abe promised to focus on economic revitalization in the short term, and to later seek to revise Japan's pacifist constitution.

Since he took office in late 2012, Abe has sought to boost growth by pumping massive amounts of money into the world's third-biggest economy.