TOKYO – The head of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, Shigeru Ishiba, was officially elected as Japan’s new Prime Minister on Tuesday following a parliamentary vote.
The 67-year-old former defence minister, who won a closely contested election last week to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was confirmed as Prime Minister by parliament earlier in the day and is set to hold his first press conference later in Tokyo.
Japan’s new Prime Minister has also unveiled his cabinet as he seeks to heal party divisions and secure a national mandate with an Oct. 27 snap election.
Underscoring his emphasis on defence and security policies, Ishiba appointed to his Cabinet two former defence ministers with whom he has worked closely, namely, Takeshi Iwaya as foreign minister and Gen. Nakatani as defence chief.
Ishiba proposes to combine existing security and diplomatic groupings, such as the Quad and other bilateral and multilateral frameworks involving the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and the Philippines.
Additionally, the Ishiba administration’s approach to diplomacy with Japan’s closest ally, the United States, will be in focus, as he has repeatedly called for a more balanced relationship with Washington.
