AMN/ WEB DESK
Japan’s Parliament today elected former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida as the Prime Minister. He is the 100th Prime Minister in the country’s political history. Lawmakers in both chambers of the Diet voted for the newly elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, the main ruling party. Sixty-four-year-old Kishida won by a comfortable margin against Yukio Edano, head of the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Mr Kishida won 311 votes in the Lower House, over 80 more than a majority. He garnered 141 votes in the Upper House, 20 more than a majority.
Mr Kishida is now forming his Cabinet and his new Cabinet will be sworn in at a palace ceremony later in the day. He replaces Yoshihide Suga, who resigned after only one year in office as his support plunged over his government’s handling of the pandemic and insistence on holding the Tokyo Olympics as the virus spread.
Mr Kishida is expected to make a policy speech in Parliament on Friday but is looking to dissolve the lower house to hold elections on the 31st of October.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the new Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio. In a message, Mr Modi said, he looks forward to working with him to further strengthen the special strategic and global partnership and advance peace and prosperity in the region and beyond.