Fukuda Voted New Japanese Prime Minister

Yasuo Fukuda, a low-key figure who has promised to bring stability to Japan's tumultuous political scene, became the country's new prime minister today after a vote among MPs.

Mr Fukuda, whose succession was never in doubt after he emerged as the favorite candidate for the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP), won 338 votes in the lower house of parliament, well over the 239 needed for a majority.

Ichiro Ozawa, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, received 117 votes.

Mr Ozawa won a vote in the upper house of parliament, which his party now controls, but this is the less influential chamber.

The lower house vote guarantees Mr Fukuda's succession as prime minister, taking over from the embattled Shinzo Abe, who stepped down earlier this month after less than a year in office and immediately sought hospital treatment for exhaustion and stress-related complaints.

Before the parliamentary vote, Mr Abe emerged from hospital to dissolve his cabinet and formally resign.

"I want to extend my apologies to the people for not being able to complete my duties," he said in a statement.

Mr Fukuda, 71, whose father was the Japanese prime minister from 1976-78, has pledged to keep Japan as a strong US ally, improve relations with Asian neighbors such as China and Japan, and address growing inequalities in the world's second-largest economy.

He was chosen as president of his party on Sunday, and has been setting up his incoming administration since then.

Part of this work has seen Mr Fukuda pick for top posts the heads of three internal LDP factions who had supported him, triggering criticism from the opposition that he was rewarding allies with no regard for policy.

His first political task will be the winning passage of legislation to extend Japan's naval mission in the Indian Ocean in support of US-led forces in Afghanistan.

Failure to do this was the reason Mr Abe gave for quitting office.

The opposition has vowed to use its majority in the upper house to block the measure, but Mr Fukuda has said he will start negotiations to try to find a compromise.

Mr Fukuda inherits a political scene left in tumult after a year under Mr Abe's troubled leadership.

Initially popular, Mr Abe's approval ratings had fallen to about 30% by the end of his period in office.

Four of his cabinet ministers had resigned in money-related scandals, and his agriculture minister committed suicide in May.

Then in elections in July Mr Abe's LDP lost control of the upper house to the opposition.

He finally announced on September 12 that he wanted to step down.