TOKYO: Shigeru Ishiba has become Japan’s prime minister, seeking to restore the ruling party’s popularity and address a demographic crisis, a dull economy and fears over Beijing’s military build-up.
According to AFP, the country’s parliament, where his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has a majority, approved the appointment of Ishiba in a televised vote.
Earlier, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has tendered resignation with his cabinet, paving the grounds for his successor Shigeru Ishiba to take the office of the Prime Minister.
Fumio Kishida took office in 2021 but is leaving so his party can have a new leader after his government was dogged by various scandals. Ishiba plans to call a parliamentary vote for October 27 following he is officially chosen as PM.
Ishiba on Friday emphasized Japan needs to strengthen its security, noting the recent violations of Japanese airspace by Chinese and Russian warplanes as well as repeated missile launches by North Korea.
