Abe Voted LDP Chief In Runoff With Ishiba

TOKYO (Nikkei)--Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was elected as head of the opposition Liberal Democratic Party in its first runoff in 40 years Wednesday afternoon.

Former LDP policy chief Shigeru Ishiba won the first round of voting but failed to secure a majority, forcing a runoff with Abe, who came in second.

In the runoff, Abe won 108 votes to Ishiba's 89.

The first round drew 197 votes from LDP Diet members and 300 votes from other party members and supporters. Voting for the runoff, however, was restricted to LDP Diet members, so it was possible for the candidate that came in second in the first round to win. The last time that happened was 56 years ago.

The other challengers for the top post, which carries a three-year term, were LDP Secretary-General Nobuteru Ishihara, former Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura and acting LDP policy chief Yoshimasa Hayashi.

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