Shigeru Ishiba elected Japan's new premier

Ishiba, who secured support of 291 lawmakers after winning intra-party leadership race last week, has called for snap elections later this month

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japanese lawmakers on Tuesday elected Shigeru Ishiba as the country's new prime minister, succeeding Fumio Kishida.

Lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, the Komieto party, voted to elect Ishiba after he won an intra-party leadership race last week.

He secured the support of 291 lawmakers out of 461 ballots cast in the lower house of the parliament.

Ishiba, 67, succeeds Fumio Kishida, who resigned early Tuesday, along with his Cabinet.

Kishida has served as premier since October 2021 after he succeeded former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide.

The newly-elected prime minister had earlier served as defense minister and was elected LDP president on his fifth attempt.

He has called for snap elections later this month on Oct. 27, the shortest period by any Japanese LDP leader after they were elected as party presidents.

*Islamuddin Sajid in Islamabad, Pakistan contributed to this report

Kaynak:

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