Ishiba Shigeru becomes Japan's 102nd Prime Minister

TOKYO: The 67-year-old Japan former defence minister, Ishiba Shigeru, has been designated as the 102nd prime minister of the country.

"ISHIBA Shigeru has been designated as the 102nd prime minister," PM's Office of Japan said on X on Tuesday..

Kishida earlier in the day resigned collectively with his cabinet.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced that Kishida and his ministers stepped down at a cabinet meeting Tuesday, according to Japan local media outlet

PM's Office of Japan shared a video on X, capturing the moment, showing staff members giving Kishida a warm ovation and presenting him with bouquets.

"Today (October 1, 2024), the Kishida Cabinet resigned en masse. After deciding on the resignation during the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Kishida issued a statement about it. He left the Prime Minister's Office while being seen off by his staff," PM's Office of Japan said on X.

Earlier on Friday, Ishiba was chosen as the governing Liberal Democratic Party's leader to replace Kishida, who in August announced his resignation at the end of his three-year term.

Following Kishida's resignation, he issued a statement, which stated, "Since the inauguration of my cabinet three years ago, as our country faces "turning points between eras," we have confronted challenges that cannot be postponed and have steadily advanced initiatives to "turn change into strength" in the fields of economic and social policy and diplomacy."

Ishiba, 67, in a runoff vote, defeated economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, Kyodo news outlet reported.

Takaichi received 194 votes to Ishiba's 215, narrowly missing the chance to become Japan's first woman prime minister. Takaichi had contested against Kishida in 2021.

The vote comes after Kishida's announcement in August that he would not stand for re-election.

The LDP has a majority in parliament and thus picks the prime minister.Ishiba, who formerly also served as Japan's agriculture minister, is expected to select new LDP executives soon and form his cabinet after being formally elected prime minister.