Japan parliament re-elects Abe as prime minister

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives at his official residence in Tokyo Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2014. Japan was preparing Wednesday to name Abe to his next term in office following his party’s victory in a Dec. 14 snap election. Abe’s Cabinet disbanded early in the day as a ritual first step. The parliament was to convene in the afternoon to elect Abe as prime minister. Abe is due to then appoint a new cabinet. AP

TOKYO — Japan’s parliament has elected Shinzo Abe to serve another term as prime minister after his party won a snap election earlier this month.

Abe won 328 votes out of the 470 cast by lawmakers in a special session of the lower house Wednesday.

He was due to name his cabinet members later in the day, replacing only his defense minister.

The victory by the ruling Liberal Democrats and their coalition partner the Komei Party was viewed as an endorsement by the public of Abe’s strategies for reviving Japan’s stagnant economy.

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