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New foreign minister is one of five women in cabinet
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New defence minister sought to foster ties with Taiwan
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Key task is mending China ties frayed over Fukushima
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No changes in finance, trade, signalling policy continuity
(Adds Japan PM quote in paragraph 17)
By Sakura Murakami
TOKYO, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has picked a woman as foreign minister and appointed as defence minister a politician who has worked to build ties with Taiwan in Wednesday's new cabinet line-up.
The choices, among 11 new faces and five women, spotlight a focus on gender equality and a stronger line on defence, as Kishida battles sagging ratings and with his term as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) set to end next year.
Both ministers face the task of navigating ties with China that soured after Japan began releasing into the Pacific Ocean treated radioactive water from its wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, angering its neighbour.
"This is a cabinet that finds its strength in change... I've appointed ministers who are people of action to execute the three pillars of economic, social, and diplomatic policies," Kishida said at a news conference held Wednesday evening.
Kishida said the new defence minister will be Minoru Kihara, a pro-Taiwan politician who has visited the democratically-governed island in the past and belongs to a Japan-Taiwan interparliamentary group.
"I do think this sends a message that Japan is seeking stability in Taiwan alongside the United States," said security expert Takashi Kawakami at Takushoku University in the capital.
The choice of Kihara as defence minister is not an anti-China move, but indicates a closeness with Taiwan, he added.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and will be sensitive to any shift in Japan's stance on the island.
Kihara will also oversee efforts to bolster Japan's military in a plan to double defence spending over the five years to 2027, and grapple with funding the buildup as tension rises in East Asia over China's military expansion and maritime disputes.
The new foreign minister is Yoko Kamikawa, a former justice minister who oversaw the execution of key members of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult responsible for the deadly sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995.
The choice of Kamikawa, who has a master's degree from Harvard University, shows the government wants to ensure smooth ties with the United States, said Yu Uchiyama, a professor of politics at Tokyo University.
"She has plenty of experience, and I do think she will make significant contributions to strengthening ties with the United States," he said.