Japan's reelected Prime Minister Ishiba vows to step up reform

Japan’s reelected Prime Minister Ishiba vows to step up reform

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Lawmakers applaud as Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, standing, was elected for a new prime minister at a special parliamentary session of the lower house Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba waits after the first vote for a new prime minister at a special parliamentary session of the lower house Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, center, queues for a runoff vote for a new prime minister at a special parliamentary session of the lower house Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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Lawmakers applaud as Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, top center, was elected for a new prime minister at a special parliamentary session of the lower house Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, center, reacts as he was elected for a new prime minister at a special parliamentary session of the lower house Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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Lawmakers applaud as Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, second left on top, was elected for a new prime minister at a special parliamentary session of the lower house Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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Yoshihiko Noda, center, head of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, attends a special parliamentary session of the lower house for parliamentary voting for a new leader, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, makes a parliamentary vote for a new leader during a special parliamentary session of the lower house, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, center, arrives at his office in Tokyo Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

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Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, votes for the new prime minister at the parliament’s lower house Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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A staff member at parliament puts up two names, Shigeru Ishiba (of Japanese Prime Minister), right, and Yoshihiko Noda (leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party) for a runoff vote for a new prime minister at a special parliamentary session of the lower house Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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Taku Eto, newly appointed Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, arrives at the prime minister’s office Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

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Hiromasa Nakano, newly appointed minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, arrives at the Prime Minister’s office Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

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Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya arrives at the prime minister’s office Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

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Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato arrives at the prime minister’s office Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

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Junko Mihara, minister in charge of Policies Related to Children, walks at the prime minister’s office Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

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Defense Minister Gen Nakatani arrives at the prime minister’s office Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

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Keisuke Suzuki, newly appointed justice minister, walks at the prime minister’s office Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, right, speaks with other lawmakers at a special parliamentary session of the lower house Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

By MARI YAMAGUCHI

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pledged to take tougher measures against misuse of political funds after he was reelected by parliament Monday following a major loss in the polls last month by his governing coalition.

Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner Komeito together lost a majority in the 465-seat Lower House, the more powerful of Japan’s two-house parliament, in the Oct. 27 election. The defeat was blamed on voter outrage over financial misconduct by his party.

“We must remind ourselves of the basics that politics is for the people, as we tackle political and party reforms,” Ishiba said. He said that in response to the poor election results, “We must be able to have empathy for the pain, sorrow and anger of the people.”

A special parliamentary session convened Monday to pick a new leader in a vote required within 30 days of a general election. Ishiba beat top opposition leader Yoshihiko Noda 221-160 in the first runoff in 30 years.

In his second Cabinet in just over a month, Ishiba reappointed most of its previous members, including Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi. He replaced three ministers who lost seats or were affected by the election results.

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Ishiba stressed the importance of pursuing the significant buildup of Japan’s defense power to deal with growing threats from China, Russia and North Korea, while cooperating with its ally the United States and other like-minded partners.

He said he plans to attend Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Group of 20 summits later this month to further strengthen partnership with the Global South nations and the Asia-Pacific region. He said he will hold talks with U.S. President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and other leaders.

His government is also reportedly arranging a possible meeting with President-elect Donald Trump on his way home.

Ishiba has refused to step down and showed willingness to cooperate with additional coalition partners to boost stability and help him pursue his party’s policies.

Ishiba will struggle in the coming months to gain consent from the opposition on policies including the budget and other legislation, experts say. Ishiba said he will listen to opposition parties more carefully than before.

“While we stick to the LDP-Komei partnership as the foundation, we will do our utmost to gain understanding of as many other parties as possible as we humbly work to ensure safety and security of the people,” Ishiba said.

He wants to cooperate more closely with a rising smaller, conservative Democratic Party for the People, whose seats quadrupled to 28 under its popular leader Yuichiro Tamaki. His proposal for raising the basic tax-free income allowance and increasing take-home wages garnered support from low-income and younger voters.

Tamaki only wants to cooperate with Ishiba’s party on policy — not as part of a coalition — since he wants to use his leverage to increase his party’s standing ahead of the next election.

Tamaki was recently stung by a magazine article exposing an extramarital affair, which he admitted to on Monday.

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This story has been corrected to show the summit is Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, not ASEAN.