Fukuda to Be Japanese Prime Minister
September 23, 2007
Former government spokesman Yasuo Fukuda was overwhelmingly chosen Sunday to succeed Shinzo Abe as prime minister of Japan.
Fukuda was elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party by a 330-197 vote, assuring he will be chosen by parliament Tuesday as the new prime minister, reported Kyodo News Agency.
Fukuda, 71, will become the first Japanese prime minister whose father was also prime minister. A veteran politician, he served as chief cabinet secretary, the main government spokesman, from 2000 to 2004.
Fukada vowed Sunday to regain public confidence in the LDP, which suffered a series of scandals leading to the unexpected resignation of Abe Sept. 12. He will serve Abe’s term through September 2009.