By Anadolu staff
Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his Cabinet resigned Tuesday to pave the way for the election of a new prime minster, with new Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Sanae Takaichi expected to win the vote, according to Kyodo News.
Earlier in the morning, Ishiba convened an extraordinary Cabinet meeting, during which all Cabinet members submitted their resignations.
Japan’s parliament is set to elect a new prime minister later in the day.
Takaichi is a potential candidate to become the country’s first female prime minister after the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) and the ruling LDP signed a deal Monday to form a coalition.
A staunch conservative, Takaichi commands the support of 196 LDP lawmakers, but a prime minister requires at least 233 votes in the 465-member lower house of parliament.
With 35 votes of the JIP, Takaichi’s numbers surged to 231.
The 64-year-old conservative would also need four votes, besides 19 from the JIP, in the 248-seat upper house to win the election.
The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has 148 seats, while the Democratic Party for the People has 27 and the LDP’s former ally Komeito commands the support of 24 lawmakers.