Japan’s Parliament has elected former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida as the Prime Minister. He is the 100th Prime Minister in the country's political history. Lawmakers in both chambers of the Diet on Monday voted for the newly elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, the main ruling party. Sixty-four-year-old Kishida won by a comfortable margin against Yukio Edano, head of the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Kishida won 311 votes in the Lower House, over 80 more than a majority. He garnered 141 votes in the Upper House, 20 more than a majority.
Kishida replaces Yoshihide Suga, who resigned after only one year in office as his support plunged over his government’s handling of the pandemic and insistence on holding the Tokyo Olympics as the virus spread.Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the new Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio. In a message, Modi said, he looks forward to working with him to further strengthen the special strategic and global partnership and advance peace and prosperity in the region and beyond.
Congratulations and best wishes to the new Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Kishida Fumio. I look forward to working with him to further strengthen the Special Strategic and Global Partnership and advance peace and prosperity in our region and beyond. @kishida230
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 4, 2021
Kishida is expected to make a policy speech in Parliament on Friday but is looking to dissolve the lower house to hold elections on October 31.
Related Items
Entirely baseless: MEA rejects NATO boss remarks on Modi-Putin talk
PM Modi launches Bihar’s Mahila Rojgar Yojana, uplifts 75L women
PM Modi meets Russian Deputy PM Dmitry Patrushev