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Japan's government resigns ahead of regular prime ministerial election

Divisions within the opposition are still expected to secure Shigeru Ishiba’s election as prime minister and allow him to form a minority governmen

Shigeru Ishiba AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool

Shigeru Ishiba

© AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool

TOKYO, November 11. /TASS/. The Japanese government, led by Shigeru Ishiba, has resigned ahead of a parliamentary vote on the prime minister’s candidacy during a special session, following early elections held on October 27.

The election results caused the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Komeito Party to lose their majority in the key lower house of parliament. However, divisions within the opposition are still expected to secure Ishiba’s election as prime minister and allow him to form a minority government.

If elected, Ishiba will within a day form his second government. The cabinet’s composition is expected to remain virtually unchanged, except for ministers who were not re-elected in the October 27 election. Keisuke Suzuki will become Minister of Justice, while Taku Eto will head the Ministry of Agriculture. The post of Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism is expected to go to Hiromasa Nakano.

The composition of the new government will be approved by Emperor Naruhito in the afternoon. Ishiba was elected leader of the then-ruling LDP on September 27. On October 1, he assumed office and promptly dissolved the lower house of parliament, scheduling early elections for October 27 to seek popular approval. The election led to the LDP and Komeito losing their majority.

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