00:00Japan's parliament has elected Senai Takaichi as the country's first ever female prime minister,
00:07a historic first that comes one day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner.
00:15In Tuesday's parliamentary election, lawmakers in the lower house voted for Takaichi with 237 votes,
00:23more than what was needed for a simple majority.
00:26Takaichi will replace Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiiwa, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling
00:34since her Liberal Democratic Party's disastrous election loss in July.
00:40Ishiiwa, who lasted only one year in office, resigned with his cabinet earlier on Tuesday.
00:47A protégé of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to emulate some of his policies,
00:54including a stronger military and economy, as well as revising Japan's pacifist constitution.
01:02But she also faces a major test.
01:04Takaichi needs to quickly tackle rising prices and compile economy-boosting measures by late December
01:11to address public frustration.
Comments