TOKYO, February 18. /TASS/. The lower chamber of Japan’s Parliament has reelected the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Sanae Takaichi, as prime minister.

Takaichi secured 354 votes. Alongside the vote in the lower house, where the LDP and its coalition partner, the Japan Restoration Party, hold more than two-thirds of the seats, a vote is also taking place in the upper house, where the ruling bloc is in the minority. However, the final say in the election of the prime minister belongs to the lower chamber, which means that Takaichi has effectively been reelected prime minister.

Following the reelection, Takaichi will form her second Cabinet. According to local media, no changes are planned, and all ministers will retain their posts. The government composition will be approved by Emperor Naruhito on Wednesday evening, after which Takaichi is to hold a press conference to outline her key political priorities.

At the February 8 elections, the LDP secured 316 out of 465 seats in Parliament. This was the party’s best result since its founding in 1955. The elections provided the LDP with a constitutional majority, which allows it to ignore the decisions of the upper house of Parliament when passing laws and opens the way for constitutional change, something that the LDP and Takaichi have long supported.