Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Shigeru Ishiba has been elected as Japan’s 103rd prime minister after a second-round vote in the House of Representatives. This followed Japan’s October 28 general election, with the 465-seat House convening today.
For the first time in 30 years, the vote went to a second round, as no candidate initially reached the required 233 votes. Ishiba secured 221 votes, surpassing main opposition leader Yoshihiko Noda of the Constitutional Democratic Party, who received 160 votes.