Fukuda chosen as prime minister
The lower house of Japan’s parliament, as expected, chose new ruling party leader Yasuo Fukuda as prime minister today, hours after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Cabinet formally resigned.
Abe, 53, announced Sept. 12 that he wanted to quit, and checked into a hospital the next day for stress-related intestinal ailments. He told reporters Monday that his ailing health lay behind his decision to resign, though he did not mention his condition at the time of his announcement.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Sunday selected Fukuda as its new president. The position ensured he would be elected prime minister.
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