Japan's Shinzo Abe re-elects as prime minister, to form new cabinet

TOKYO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- President of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shinzo Abe on Wednesday gained 328 votes in the 475-seat lower house during a prime minister election and was re-elected as the country's prime minister. He will form a new cabinet later in the day.

During another post-election session in the upper house, Abe also gained 135 votes in the 240-seat chamber.

Local reports said almost all ministers are likely to retain their posts, but Defense Ministers Akinori Eto has declined the reappointment due to his political fund scandal.

Gen Nakatani, 57, is expected to replace Eto as the defense chief, local reports quoted LDP officials as reporting.

Abe called a snap general election last month due to sluggish economic growth data and his LDP won a landslide victory in the Dec. 14 general election. Along with its junior partner the Komeito Party, the LDP-Komeito ruling coalition together secured 326 seats in the lower house and the bloc also maintains a majority in the upper house.

The lower house on the day also elected former foreign minister Nobutaka Machimura as its speaker, replacing Bunmei Ibuki.

Abe said earlier that he will push forward his economic policy mix dubbed "Abenomics" to pull Japan out of prolonged deflation and bring recovery to the Japanese economy.

Abe also vowed after the general election that he and his LDP will try to gain more public support so as to amend the country's war-renouncing Constitution and fulfill the legislation related to the controversial right to collective self-defense.

Prior to Wednesday's Diet session, Abe's cabinet launched in September after a reshuffle resigned to clear the way for the prime minister to form a new cabinet.

Several ministers in the last cabinet, including Eto, were trapped by political fund scandals which forced two women minister to resign.