Yasuo Fukuda is elected as LDP President, Japan
{{date|September 23, 2007}}

Reports indicate {{w|Yasuo Fukuda}} (71), the former {{w|Chief Cabinet Secretary}} has been elected to be the new president of the {{w|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party}} - the ruling party of Japan. This will put him in place as the successor of Prime Minister and LDP President [[Shinzo Abe]], who  [[Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resigns|announced his coming resignation]] 11 days ago. Reuters states Fukuda won the party presidential election which was held Sunday afternoon in Tokyo; he got 330 votes from eligible voters, lawmakers of the party and representatives of 47 prefecture level branches, thus defeating his sole opponent [[Taro Aso]] (67), the former foreign minister, who received 197 votes.     

''{{w|Chugoku Shimbun}}'' reports Aso got more votes than his core supporters had expected. On September 23, his supporters held a meeting in Tokyo but only 44 lawmakers attended. His supporters therefore guessed the total votes he would get would be around 90 but expect now his "loss in a good fight" rather strengthens his position in the party and hence in Japanese politics.

{{w|Yomiuri Shimbun}} reports that slightly larger number of party members voted for Aso than Fukuda in local level elections, while Fukuda got 76 votes of 141, which had been assigned to prefecture level LDP branches, and Aso received 65. LDP headquarter allows each branches to choose their preferable decision making way, and 35 branches choose voting. In those branches, 253,692 eligible voters voted Aso, 250,613 voted Fukuda. 12 branches didn't allow every member to join decision making, and Fukuda seized the support from eight of those 12 branches. Aso was strongly supported by the areas which have major cities, while Fukuda was supported in rural districts.    

Since LDP has lawmakers many enough to have their favorite person win the prime minister nomination, Fukuda is likely to succeed to Abe as prime minister also. Reports say the {{w|Diet of Japan|Diets}} will hold the prime minister elections on September 25.  

{{haveyoursay}} 
== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.asahi.com/business/reuters/RTR200709230018.html
|title=福田新総裁が誕生、24日に党3役選任へ
|author=
|pub=Reuters / Asahi Shimbun 
|date=September 23, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/News/Sp200709230404.html
|title=善戦に胸張る麻生陣営　福田陣営、喜びも半分
|author=
|pub=Chugoku Shimbun
|date=September 23, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/news/20070923it11.htm
|title=自民党総裁選、党員投票では麻生氏が福田氏上回る
|author=
|pub=Yomiuri Shimbun
|date=September 23, 2007}}
*{{source
|url=http://www.toonippo.co.jp/news_kyo/news/20070920010003851.asp
|title=２５日に首相指名選挙　衆院議運委が正式決定
|author=
|pub=Kyodo / Toa Nippo
|date=September 20, 2007}}

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[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Japan]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Shinzo Abe]]
[[Category:Tarō Asō]]

[[es:Yasuo Fukuda es el favorito del partido de gobierno para asumir como Primer Ministro en Japón]]
[[it:Giappone: Yasuo Fukuda eletto come successore di Shinzo Abe]]
[[ja:福田氏、麻生氏を破って自民党新総裁に]]
Reports indicate Chief Cabinet Secretary has been elected to be the new president of the Liberal Democratic Party - the ruling party of Japan. This will put him in place as the successor of Prime Minister and LDP President Shinzo Abe, who  announced his coming resignation 11 days ago. Reuters states Fukuda won the party presidential election which was held Sunday afternoon in Tokyo; he got 330 votes from eligible voters, lawmakers of the party and representatives of 47 prefecture level branches, thus defeating his sole opponent Taro Aso (67), the former foreign minister, who received 197 votes.     

 reports Aso got more votes than his core supporters had expected. On September 23, his supporters held a meeting in Tokyo but only 44 lawmakers attended. His supporters therefore guessed the total votes he would get would be around 90 but expect now his "loss in a good fight" rather strengthens his position in the party and hence in Japanese politics.

 reports that slightly larger number of party members voted for Aso than Fukuda in local level elections, while Fukuda got 76 votes of 141, which had been assigned to prefecture level LDP branches, and Aso received 65. LDP headquarter allows each branches to choose their preferable decision making way, and 35 branches choose voting. In those branches, 253,692 eligible voters voted Aso, 250,613 voted Fukuda. 12 branches didn't allow every member to join decision making, and Fukuda seized the support from eight of those 12 branches. Aso was strongly supported by the areas which have major cities, while Fukuda was supported in rural districts.    

Since LDP has lawmakers many enough to have their favorite person win the prime minister nomination, Fukuda is likely to succeed to Abe as prime minister also. Reports say the Diets will hold the prime minister elections on September 25.  

es:Yasuo Fukuda es el favorito del partido de gobierno para asumir como Primer Ministro en Japón
it:Giappone: Yasuo Fukuda eletto come successore di Shinzo Abe
Asia Japan Politics and conflicts Shinzo Abe Tarō Asō