Japan Lower House Elects Fukuda PM, Awaits Upper House Outcome

Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo

Tokyo, Sept. 25 Kyodo – The House of Representatives elected ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader Yasuo Fukuda, 71, as Japan’s prime minister Tuesday, making it certain that he will be premier as the outcome in the lower chamber will prevail over that of the House of Councillors if consultations between the two chambers fail.

The upper chamber is expected to elect Ichiro Ozawa, 65, president of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, as prime minister.

Fukuda is set to succeed Shinzo Abe, 53, amid hopes that Fukuda can revive the ruling party embattled by Abe’s abrupt resignation and the heavy election defeat in July that led to a split parliament.

Nobutaka Machimura, 62, foreign minister under Abe’s Cabinet and head of the LDP’s largest faction, which Fukuda also belongs to, was tapped to become chief Cabinet secretary in the new Cabinet to be formed later Tuesday, while many key Cabinet posts such as finance minister are to be retained partly due to the ongoing extraordinary Diet session.

Fukuda, a seasoned politician known for promoting amicable relations with Japan’s neighbouring countries, will become the first prime minister in Japan whose father, Takeo Fukuda, was also prime minister.

It is also the first time since 1994, when Tomiichi Murayama, then 70, became prime minister, that a leader will assume the office while in his 70s.

To pave the way for the launch of Fukuda’s administration, Abe, who has been hospitalized for a stress-related stomach ailment following his Sept. 12 resignation announcement, attended a Cabinet meeting in the morning where he and his ministers resigned en masse.

Abe, who was in power for 365 days, told his outgoing Cabinet members it “breaks my heart” to leave office when the government is facing mounting issues such as the pension system, social and economic disparities between rural and urban areas, and the fight against terrorism, said Kaoru Yosano, who had been chief Cabinet secretary.

Fukuda’s new Cabinet is expected to be launched Tuesday night at the earliest, because a joint committee of both houses is expected to be held after the plenary session of the two houses so as to try to adjust the split decisions.

The joint committee is likely to fail to reach an agreement, leading the decision of the lower house to become the decision of the Diet as stipulated by the Constitution.

It is the first time in nine years that such a joint committee is to be held after the two houses named different prime ministers.

Among the new Cabinet lineup, Yoichi Masuzoe, 58, is expected to retain his post as health, labour and welfare minister and Shinya Izumi, 70, as chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, LDP sources said.

Finance Minister Fukushiro Nukaga, 63, and Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tetsuzo Fuyushiba, 71, from the LDP ally New Komeito Party, are also expected to be retained.

Meanwhile, Fukuda admitted to reporters Tuesday that his sole rival in the LDP presidential election Sunday, Taro Aso, rejected Fukuda’s offer to join his incoming Cabinet.

“He (Aso) said he wanted to take a rest for a while because he had been serving key posts for a quite a while,” Fukuda said.

The more hawkish Aso, 67, demonstrated his popularity despite the defeat in the LDP’s presidential election by garnering 197 votes – more than had been expected – compared with the 330 ballots received by Fukuda.

Fukuda, former chief Cabinet secretary, also met Akihiro Ota, head of the LDP ally New Komeito party, Tuesday morning and agreed to continue their ruling coalition setup.

An attestation ceremony at the Imperial Palace is expected to be held after Fukuda is chosen as prime minister.

The biggest short-term challenge for the new prime minister will be to steer the party through the current political deadlock with the opposition camp, including the imminent showdown in parliament over continuing Japan’s refueling mission for U.S-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan.

Other pressing tasks will be to shore up the party base after the LDP’s significant setback in the July election, as well as rectifying the widening social and economic disparities between urban and rural areas, and working on pension issues.

Originally published by Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 0449 25 Sep 07.

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