Japan’s parliament elects Shigeru Ishiba as prime minister

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Japan’s parliament on Tuesday formally elected Shigeru Ishiba, head of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, as the country’s new prime minister, AP reports.

Ishiba was chosen as the party’s leader on Friday to replace Fumio Kishida, who then stepped down earlier on Tuesday to pave the way.

Ishiba will announce his new Cabinet later on Tuesday.

Kishida took office in 2021 but left so his party could have a fresh leader after his government was dogged by scandals. Ishiba plans to call a parliamentary election for Oct. 27.

“I believe it is important to have the new administration get the public’s judgment as soon as possible,” Ishiba said Monday in announcing his plan to call a snap election.

Opposition parties criticized Ishiba for allowing only a short period of time for his policies to be examined and discussed in parliament before the national election.

Kishida had announced in August he would resign at the end of his three-year term.

Kishida and his ministers stepped down at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said. Kishida left his office after a brief send-off ceremony in which he was presented a bouquet of red roses and applauded by his staff and former Cabinet members.