Japan's New Prime Minister, Abe

[Haleemah]

Japan’s new leader vows wider role for military
Abe wins comfortable majorities in both houses of parliament


Updated: 2 hours, 49 minutes ago
TOKYO - Nationalist Shinzo Abe, a proponent of a robust alliance with the United States and a more assertive military, easily won election in parliament Tuesday as Japan's youngest postwar prime minister.

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Abe got 339 votes out of 475 counted in the powerful lower house, and 136 ballots out of 240 in the upper house, handily defeating Ichiro Ozawa, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan.

Abe, at 52 Japan's first prime minister born after World War II, stocked his new government with conservatives such as Taro Aso, who will keep his post as foreign minister, and veteran Fumio Kyuma, appointed to a second stint as defense chief.

"It's the beginning of the new era under Abe," ruling party secretary-general Hidenao Nakagawa told national broadcaster NHK. "I hope those who voted for Abe will join hands to achieve our political goals."

The heir apparent to outgoing Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for about a year, Abe came to office as a champion of the security pact with top ally the United States, revision of the pacifist constitution, a more outspoken foreign policy, and more patriotic education.

His top challenges will be repairing Japan's deteriorating ties with China and South Korea, maintaining the economy's recovery from a decade-long slowdown, and grappling with troubles related to the rapidly aging population.



For more information:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15002379/