Shinzo Abe becomes Japan's new prime minister

Shinzo Abe, the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was elected Japan's new prime minister in a special session of the Diet on Wednesday.

In a lower house election, Abe gained 328 votes of 478 valid votes in the 480-seat chamber.

While in the upper house, where the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) remains the largest force, Abe failed to gain more than half of votes in the first round election.

In the second round, Abe defeated his rival Banri Kaieda, the new leader of the DPJ.

The LDP returned to power by winning a landslide victory in the lower house election on Dec. 16 and put an end to the three-year rule of the DPJ.

Abe, who held the premier post from 2006 to 2007, will unveil his new coalition government formed by the LDP and the New Komeito Party which hold 325 seats in the more powerful lower house.