Takaichi Named Japan’s 1st Female Prime Minister

Tokyo, Oct. 21 (Jiji Press)–The Diet, or Japan’s parliament, on Tuesday nominated Sanae Takaichi, president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, as prime minister to succeed Shigeru Ishiba. Takaichi became the first Japanese woman to serve as the country’s prime minister. She is set to launch her cabinet in the evening after the attestation ceremonies for the new prime minister and other members of the cabinet. Her election came after the LDP and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) agreed to form a coalition government, following Komeito’s departure from the LDP-led ruling bloc earlier this month. Takaichi was elected president of the LDP on Oct. 4, following Ishiba’s decision in early September to step down in the wake of the party’s major setbacks in last year’s House of Representatives election and this July’s House of Councillors election. In Tuesday’s prime minister election in the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, Takaichi won 237 votes with the support of Nippon Ishin and independent lawmakers, exceeding the majority of 233 in the first round. In the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, no candidate won a majority in the first round, leading to a runoff election between Takaichi and Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. In the runoff, Takaichi won 125 votes, while Noda received 46. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]