Shigeru Ishiba has been re-elected as Japan's Prime Minister in a nail-biting runoff that had the nation on the edge of its seat! 🎌
On Monday, the Diet, Japan's parliament, convened an extraordinary session to choose the new leader. The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito faced a major setback after losing their long-held majority in last month's general election.
The vote led to a runoff between 67-year-old Ishiba and opposition leader Yoshihiko Noda of the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP). In the House of Representatives, Ishiba secured 221 votes, surpassing Noda and becoming the country's 103rd prime minister, even though he fell short of the 233 majority threshold.
Later today, Ishiba will be formally inaugurated at a ceremony at the Imperial Palace and is expected to hold a press conference in the evening.
Ishiba initially took office as the 102nd prime minister in early October and swiftly called for a snap election, aiming to solidify his position. However, instead of strengthening his mandate, he faced significant challenges. Voters, frustrated by rising inflation 📈 and a slush fund scandal, delivered the ruling bloc its worst performance since 2009.
The LDP and Komeito coalition secured only 215 out of 465 seats in the powerful chamber of parliament, falling short of the needed 233 seats for a majority. The LDP alone won 191 seats, a steep drop from the 247 seats it held before the election.
Meanwhile, the main opposition CDP significantly boosted its presence, increasing from 98 seats to 148 seats. The shifting political landscape suggests that Japan may be heading into a period of change and uncertainty.
What's next for Japan? Stay tuned as we bring you more updates on this developing story! 🇯🇵✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
