Mr Junichiro Koizumi was elected Japan's new prime minister in a parliamentary vote today, replacing the deeply unpopular Mr Yoshiro Mori who spent just a year in power.
Reform-minded Mr Koizumi's new cabinet was set to include a 79-year-old finance minister, a renowned professor and a record number of women, according to reports.
"I will appoint the right person for the right job," Mr Koizumi told reporters, pledging to eschew the factional appointments traditionally favoured by leaders of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Backed by the ruling coalition parties, the 59-year-old LDP leader won 287 votes in the 480-seat lower house, against 127 for opposition leader Mr Yukio Hatoyama.
Shortly afterward, the 252-member upper house also elected him the new premier in a rubber-stamp vote. Mr Koizumi was to be formally sworn in by Emperor Akihito later.
Koizumi’s new cabinet will be closely analysed for its reformist credentials. Tokyo financial markets were disappointed by reports that Mr Masajuro Shiokawa (79) would become finance minister to replace the 81-year-old Kiichi Miyazawa.
Keio University professor Mr Heizo Takenaka would take over as economic and fiscal policy minister, the Nihon Keizai Shimbunnewspaper said.
AFP