相しょう

suffix

minister (of a government department)

Suffix attached to the name of a government department to form the title of its minister, e.g. 外務大臣 (Minister for Foreign Affairs) uses 大臣, but 相 appears in titles like 外相 (Foreign Minister).

• 彼かれは新あたらしい外がい相しょうに任にん命めいされた。

  He was appointed as the new Foreign Minister.

• 内ない相しょうと外がい相しょうが会かい談だんした。

  The Home Minister and the Foreign Minister held talks.