The government said Aug. 11 that the Consumer Affairs Agency, a new government body aimed at better serving consumer interests following a spate of food-related scandals, will begin operations Sept. 1.

At a Cabinet meeting, it was also decided that the Consumer Commission, a watchdog body to be made up of experts, will debut separately the same day.

The government has already announced major personnel picks, including the first agency chief. But the Democratic Party of Japan has opposed the lineup and launch of the agency immediately after the Aug. 30 general election.

If the DPJ takes power in the election, which according to several opinion polls the party is favored to win, a DPJ-led government may reconsider the personnel and how the agency should be run.

Former Cabinet Office Vice Minister Shunichi Uchida has been tapped to head the agency while Hiroko Sumita, a prosecutor-turned-lawyer, has been designated the head of the commission.