Reuters. Shigeru Ishiba was formally voted in by parliament as Japan’s prime minister on Tuesday (October 1) following his victory in one of the closest ever leadership races for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

 

The new cabinet members under Ishiba, who succeeds Fumio Kishida, are due to be unveiled later in the day, as he seeks to heal party divisions and prepare for an snap election on October 27.

 

During the parliament voting, a female lawmaker from a progressive and left-wing political party in Japan, briefly held up a placard to protest the dissolution of the lower house before being taken away by security guards.

 

Ishiba, the 67-year-old former defense minister, seen as somewhat of an outsider in his party who failed at four previous leadership bids, has already begun picking government and party officials who will contest the upcoming general election with him.