Ishiba Reelected Prime Minister Of Minority Japanese Government

Shigeru Ishiba was formally reelected as Japan's prime minister on Monday following a rare runoff vote in parliament, as his ruling coalition no longer holds a majority, setting up a minority government that may require him to cooperate more closely with a strengthened opposition bloc, Kyodo News reported.

Neither Ishiba nor his rival, Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition party secured the 233 votes needed in the 465-member House of Representatives in the initial round to win the prime ministership outright. I Photo: Prime Minister's Office of Japan Facebook

In the first runoff vote in three decades to select a new prime minister, Ishiba, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), defeated his rival Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), at the beginning of a four-day parliamentary session.

Neither candidate secured the 233 votes needed in the 465-member House of Representatives in the initial round to win the prime ministership outright. Ishiba eventually won with 221 votes, compared to Noda's 160, and was declared the victor.

Earlier in the day, Ishiba was elected prime minister in the House of Councillors, which the LDP and Komeito party control. Ishiba will form a new Cabinet later on Monday.

The minority government structure means the ruling coalition will need to heed demands from the opposition bloc, which gained influence in the Oct. 27 general election.

The CDPJ has increased its presence in the lower house, as has the opposition Democratic Party for the People, which has seen its seats quadruple and is being courted by both sides of the political aisle.