Ishiba formally reelected as Japan PM, eyes minority gov't
TOKYO, Nov. 11 Kyodo - Shigeru Ishiba was formally reelected as Japan's prime minister on Monday after a rare runoff vote in parliament that his ruling coalition no longer controls, setting the stage for a minority government that may push him to yield more to an emboldened opposition bloc.
In the first runoff vote in three decades to select a new prime minister, Ishiba, who heads the Liberal Democratic Party, defeated his rival Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, at the opening of a four-day parliamentary session.
In the initial round of voting in the 465-member House of Representatives, none of the candidates reached the majority threshold of 233 votes required to be elected prime minister. Later, after Ishiba received 221 votes and Noda over 160, the LDP chief was declared the winner, with 84 votes deemed invalid.
Earlier in the day, Ishiba was elected prime minister in the House of Councillors, which is controlled by the LDP and the Komeito party. The prime minister will form a new Cabinet later Monday.
The prospect of a minority government means the ruling coalition needs to heed more to demands from the opposition bloc that has gained strength since the Oct. 27 general election.
In a stark reminder of its weakening grip on parliament, an opposition member will chair the powerful budget committee of the lower house for the first time in three decades. Diet deliberations may require more time and concessions from the ruling bloc.
The CDPJ has an increased presence in the lower chamber, and the same goes for the opposition Democratic Party for the People, which has been courted by both sides of the aisle, with its seats quadrupling from before the election.
DPP members confirmed shortly before the session that they would vote for the party's leader, Yuichiro Tamaki, although a magazine report exposing his extramarital affair has added a layer of uncertainty at the last minute. He admitted the report was mostly accurate.
In the run-up to the parliamentary session, the ruling coalition signaled its willingness to work with the DPP and coordinate their policies, a critical step toward ensuring a stable government.
The LDP-Komeito coalition and the CDPJ have expressed their willingness to consider the smaller but influential opposition DPP's proposal to raise the 1.03 million yen ($6,700) income ceiling for tax payments, thereby boosting people's incomes.
"I will take a sincere approach to all parties," Ishiba told reporters after talking separately with Tamaki and Noda ahead of the parliamentary vote.
"The important point is to make sure that Japan is a peaceful nation and people's livelihoods improve. We are on the same page on this with the DPP and the CDPJ."
The opposition camp is expected to ramp up pressure on Ishiba to push for drastic political reforms, as the LDP's defeat in the election was partly attributed to its failure to restore voter trust following the ruling party's inappropriate handling of political funds.
The CDPJ and the DPP are calling for a legal revision to make the flow of political funds more transparent and for the establishment of a third-party panel to impose checks.
More Diet panels are led by opposition members than before the lower house election, raising the bar for Ishiba in seeking parliamentary approval.
The government is planning to compile a package of economic measures intended to mitigate the negative fallout of rising prices by providing cash handouts to low-income earners and lowering energy prices through subsidies.
A supplementary budget for the current fiscal year to next March will be needed to finance the package.
Ishiba is inclined to ensure stability and continuity as the country faces myriad challenges, ranging from inflation to security threats from China, North Korea and Russia.
He is expected to make only minor changes to his Cabinet lineup this time, mostly replacing those who lost their seats in the election.
Former senior vice foreign minister Keisuke Suzuki will be named the country's new justice minister, and Taku Eto will again serve as farm minister. Hiromasa Nakano, a Komeito lawmaker, will assume the post of land minister in place of Tetsuo Saito, who became the party's chief.
==Kyodo
