TOKYO, Feb 18 (Kyodo/APP): Sanae Takaichi was reelected as Japan’s prime minister in parliament on Wednesday as the Diet convened a special session following her Liberal Democratic Party’s historic landslide victory in the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election.
Before the start of the 150-day session, Takaichi’s Cabinet resigned en masse, as required by the Constitution. She is set to formally launch a new Cabinet later in the day, with no major changes to the lineup of ministers for the sake of continuity.
Takaichi, known for her hawkish views on defense and security, received overwhelming majority support with 354 votes in the lower house, controlled by her ruling coalition.
In the House of Councillors, where the ruling camp remains in a minority, she was elected prime minister in a runoff by winning 125 votes against 65 for Junya Ogawa, head of the main opposition party.
All her ministers, including Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, will remain in their posts, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference.
Takaichi formed her first Cabinet in October after becoming LDP leader and subsequently prime minister.
In a minor change to its executive lineup, the LDP is considering naming former industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who was involved in a high-profile slush fund scandal, as its new election strategy headquarters chief, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Takaichi is scheduled to hold a press conference on Wednesday night to explain her “responsible yet aggressive” fiscal policy and plan to suspend the consumption tax on food products for two years.
She plans to hear an interim conclusion before the summer by a cross-party “national council” on whether and how to freeze the tax, currently at 8 percent.
Riding on high public support, Takaichi looks set to forge ahead with policy priorities that she said could “split public opinion” during the 150-day parliamentary session through July 17.
Takaichi has expressed her desire to work toward amending the pacifist Constitution, the LDP’s long-held goal, and has called for bolstering the country’s defense capabilities.