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Shinzo Abe re-elected as Japan's prime minister | Shinzo Abe re-elected as Japan's prime minister |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Japanese MPs have re-elected Shinzo Abe to serve another term as prime minister after his party's landslide victory in snap elections earlier this month. | Japanese MPs have re-elected Shinzo Abe to serve another term as prime minister after his party's landslide victory in snap elections earlier this month. |
Mr Abe won 328 votes against 73 in the lower house of parliament, or Diet. | Mr Abe won 328 votes against 73 in the lower house of parliament, or Diet. |
After the upper house confirmed his re-appointment, Mr Abe named a largely unchanged cabinet, with the only new face Defence Minister Gen Nakatani. | |
The 14 December election was seen as a referendum on Mr Abe's difficult and potentially unpopular economic reforms. | The 14 December election was seen as a referendum on Mr Abe's difficult and potentially unpopular economic reforms. |
His cabinet resigned en masse on Wednesday morning to pave the way for the re-election. | |
Confirmation was a formality as the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito hold a majority in both houses. | |
Gen Nakatani replaces Akinori Eto as defence minister. | |
Mr Eto is said to have declined to remain in his post after being embroiled in a political funds scandal in September, shortly after Mr Abe's last reshuffle. | Mr Eto is said to have declined to remain in his post after being embroiled in a political funds scandal in September, shortly after Mr Abe's last reshuffle. |
Low voter turnout | Low voter turnout |
Mr Abe had called a snap election for the lower Diet to seek a new mandate. The ruling coalition won a two-thirds majority amid a low voter turnout. | Mr Abe had called a snap election for the lower Diet to seek a new mandate. The ruling coalition won a two-thirds majority amid a low voter turnout. |
Observers attributed the win largely to the lack of a real political alternative with the opposition in disarray. Many voters were bemused by the snap election. | Observers attributed the win largely to the lack of a real political alternative with the opposition in disarray. Many voters were bemused by the snap election. |
Central to the election campaign were Mr Abe's controversial economic policies, known as "Abenomics", which are aimed at ending deflation in the country. | Central to the election campaign were Mr Abe's controversial economic policies, known as "Abenomics", which are aimed at ending deflation in the country. |
Japan saw an initial burst of growth shortly after he was elected in 2012, but the imposition of a sales tax hike in April saw growth slump. Japan entered a technical recession this quarter. | Japan saw an initial burst of growth shortly after he was elected in 2012, but the imposition of a sales tax hike in April saw growth slump. Japan entered a technical recession this quarter. |
Mr Abe plans to delay a second increase in the sales tax which was originally scheduled for 2015. | Mr Abe plans to delay a second increase in the sales tax which was originally scheduled for 2015. |
After the LDP won the parliamentary elections earlier this month, Mr Abe admitted that "there are still a lot of people who are still not feeling the benefits" but promised that his economic policies, once they were fully realised, would bring benefits to Japan. | After the LDP won the parliamentary elections earlier this month, Mr Abe admitted that "there are still a lot of people who are still not feeling the benefits" but promised that his economic policies, once they were fully realised, would bring benefits to Japan. |
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