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Japan parliament chooses new PM Fukuda set to be new Japanese PM
(about 1 hour later)
Japan's parliament is formally voting to elect a new prime minister to replace Shinzo Abe. Japan's lower house of parliament has formally elected Yasuo Fukuda as new prime minister to replace Shinzo Abe.
Yasuo Fukuda, chosen by the governing Liberal Democratic Party to replace Mr Abe, is almost certain to win the lower house vote and become prime minister. The 71-year-old won the support of 338 lower house members, nearly 100 votes more than is needed for a majority.
Although his appointment was rejected by the upper house, the decision of the more powerful lower house prevails under Japan's constitution.
Mr Fukuda, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) veteran, becomes Japan's oldest PM since the early 1990s.
He has been chosen because the LDP wants a safe pair of hands after the party's popularity plummeted under Mr Abe, correspondents say.
Mr Abe officially resigned along with his entire cabinet earlier on Tuesday.Mr Abe officially resigned along with his entire cabinet earlier on Tuesday.
He has been treated in hospital for stress-related stomach problems since he quit 12 days ago, throwing the country into political confusion.He has been treated in hospital for stress-related stomach problems since he quit 12 days ago, throwing the country into political confusion.
Members of the lower house of parliament - where there is an overwhelming government and coalition majority - are voting first.
Mr Fukuda is expected to win a resounding victory from his LDP party and its allies.
Constitutional safeguardConstitutional safeguard
But the opposition controls the upper house and is likely to vote against Mr Fukuda. Members of the lower house of parliament - where there is an overwhelming government and coalition majority - voted first for the new prime minister.
That means that for the first time in nine years a joint committee of both Houses would be convened to try to resolve the issue. Mr Fukuda easily beat off his closest competitor, the main opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa, in a vote that went mainly along party lines.
The BBC's correspondent in Tokyo, Chris Hogg, says that even if they do not reach agreement, Mr Fukuda will become prime minister anyway. Mr Abe's year-long premiership was plagued with difficulties
The decision of the Lower House will be regarded as the final decision under the terms of the constitution, our correspondent says. "As a result, we have decided to appoint Mr Yasuo Fukuda as the prime minister," lower house speaker Yohei Kono announced.
At the age of 71, Mr Fukuda will become the oldest Japanese prime minister since the early 1990s. The upper house, which the LDP lost control of in July's election, voted for Mr Ozawa over Mr Fukuda by 133-106 votes.
A joint committee of both houses must now convene to try to resolve the issue - the first time this has happened in nine years.
But, says Chris Hogg, the BBC's correspondent in Tokyo, even if they do not reach agreement, Mr Fukuda will become prime minister anyway.
The decision of the lower house will be regarded as final under the terms of the constitution, our correspondent says.
Our correspondent says Mr Fukuda has a tough task ahead of him as his party is unpopular and the opposition plans to block his legislative programme.Our correspondent says Mr Fukuda has a tough task ahead of him as his party is unpopular and the opposition plans to block his legislative programme.
Mr Abe's formal resignation brought to an end a year-long premiership plagued by ministerial scandals. Mr Abe's formal resignation brought to an end a year-long premiership plagued by ministerial scandals, which culminated in July's disastrous upper house election losses for the LDP.
It culminated in disastrous upper house election losses in July.