Yasuo Fukuda, new president of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was declared prime minister by the Japanese House of Representatives, or lower house of the Diet, late Tuesday afternoon.

 

The two chambers of the Diet failed to reach a consensus on their selections of a premier. Under the Japanese Constitution, the lower house's final decision prevails to be that of the Diet.

 

In the vote casting held earlier in the afternoon at the lower house, Fukuda won 338 votes out of the total of 476 valid ballots. Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the major opposition Democratic Party of Japan, got 117 ballots.

 

Ozawa was elected prime minister shortly after by the House of Councilors, or upper house of the Diet, since the opposition bloc enjoys the majority there. He obtained 133 votes out of the 239 valid ballots in the second round of voting. The upper house's first round of voting failed to give a result because no one gained more than half of the ballots.

 

The decision of the upper house was actually futile as it contradicted that of the lower house.

 

The two chambers procedurally organized a joint committee for reconciliation, but failed to reach a consensus. The lower house later declared that Fukuda was elected premier by the parliament.

 

Such coordination meeting for the appointment of a premier hadn't been called in the past nine years. The ruling LDP had been controlling both houses of the Diet as of July, when it suffered a crushing defeat in the upper house election and lost the majority to the opposition bloc.

 

Fukuda, 71, was actually assured of the premier's post as he was elected LDP president on Sunday since the ruling party still controls the majority in the lower house.

 

The seasoned politician, known for his friendly attitude toward Asian countries, will be the first Japanese premier whose father, Takeo Fukuda, used to be on the post.

 

Fukuda agreed with New Komeito party leader in the morning to continue the two parties' ruling coalition partnership. He will form the Cabinet later in the day and lead the Cabinet members to attend an attestation ceremony at the Imperial Palace.

 

It is now the common speculation of the Japanese media that the Cabinet lineup is unlikely to differ from the current one significantly.

 

Former Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura will be appointed chief Cabinet secretary, former Defense Minister Masahiko Komura will become foreign minister, and former defense agency chief Shigeru Ishiba will be defense minister, according to NHK. 

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 26, 2007)