Japanese Parliament likely to pick New Prime Minister on Dec. 24, Reports

[Aepsilons]

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government and the two ruling parties plan to pick a new prime minister on Dec. 24 by convening a special parliamentary session from that day, after the general election on Sunday, government sources and a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker said Wednesday.

The session is expected to last for three days, during the first of which a prime minister will be elected -- most likely Shinzo Abe as opinion polls suggest his LDP-led coalition is on course to secure a majority in the House of Representatives election.

Once elected by the lower house, the new prime minister is expected to form a Cabinet.

Irrespective of who is eventually elected prime minister, the Abe administration gets to decide when the special Diet session will convene because it remains in charge until a new Cabinet is launched.

The start of the special session may still change depending on consultations among key parties in the Diet following Sunday's election.

A senior LDP lawmaker said that even if Abe is re-elected prime minister, he is "unlikely to carry out major changes to his Cabinet or LDP executive lineup."

Abe reshuffled his Cabinet and LDP executive board in early September.



Parliament likely to pick new Japan PM on Dec. 24 - 毎日新聞

 

[Aepsilons]

Possible Picks:

1. Tanigaki Sadakazu
2. Otsuji Hidehisa
3. Yamaguchi Natsuo
4. Inoue Yoshihisa

@Nihonjin1051 's top choice: Tanigaki Sadakazu

Former Liberal Democratic Party President Sadakazu Tanigaki has become the ruling party’s new secretary-general.
It is unusual for a former chief of the LDP to take such a position. Tanigaki’s return to the party leadership has no small political significance.Although it cannot be described as a main duty of his new position, one of the tasks Tanigaki is expected to tackle is to improve Japan’s frosty ties with China and South Korea.

While the diplomatic relationship between Tokyo and Beijing remains crippled, two political heavyweights--Natsuo Yamaguchi, chief of New Komeito, the LDP’s junior coalition partner, and former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda--visited China and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Their trips to China and meetings with its paramount leader have helped keep the channel of communication between the two governments alive.

The grim reality of the state of bilateral relations is that there can be no prospect for a meeting between the leaders of the two countries unless lawmakers make diplomatic efforts to clear the way for a summit.It is encouraging news that Toshihiro Nikai, who, like Tanigaki, has personal ties with a number of Chinese leaders, has assumed the post of chairman of the LDP General Council. I believe Tanigaki will make more aggressive diplomatic efforts to repair Japan’s ties with China under the leadership of Diet members.

 

[Reashot Xigwin]

Japan needs to maintain close tie with S.Korea & China over all.

 

[Aepsilons]

Japan needs to maintain close tie with S.Korea & China over all.

I agree man. Id like the next PM to address these main issues (to help forge better relations with East Asia):

1) A formal apology to China and Koreas for national suffering and conflict Japan started in WW2
2) Provide financial assistance to the remaining comfort women from China, Koreas, Philippines who were impressed into service

 

[Beast]

I agree man. Id like the next PM to address these main issues (to help forge better relations with East Asia):

1) A formal apology to China and Koreas for national suffering and conflict Japan started in WW2
2) Provide financial assistance to the remaining comfort women from China, Koreas, Philippines who were impressed into service

Shift out all the A class criminals of WWII from yasukuni shrine and build another shrine for them.

 

[Aepsilons]

Shift out all the A class criminals of WWII from yasukuni shrine and build another shrine for them.

Yes, that is important, too.

 

[sicsheep]

Even Koizumi was way better PM than Abe