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The Latest: Japan PM reappoints his Cabinet after election

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe holds his name plate during an extraordinary session at the parliament’s lower house in Tokyo Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017. Abe is expected to be re-elected as prime minister, following his ruling coalition’s victory in the Oct. 22 elections. (Eugene Hoshiko/Associated Press)
 November 1 at 6:23 AM

TOKYO — The Latest on Japan’s parliament re-electing Shinzo Abe as prime minister (all times local):

7:20 p.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, re-elected to the post in a lower house vote, has installed his Cabinet, reappointing the same ministers back to their posts before a snap election last month.

The Cabinet ministers were officially sworn in at a palace ceremony Wednesday.

The 63-year-old Abe dissolved the lower house in late September to force an election. His Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner retained a two-thirds majority in the house.

 Political analysts saw the move as an attempt to win a fresh public mandate and re-establish his hold on power after his approval ratings fell to summertime lows.

The victory boosts Abe’s chances for another term as LDP leader next September, potentially extending his premiership to 2021.

3:40 p.m.

Japan’s lower house of parliament has re-elected Shinzo Abe as prime minister after his party won a resounding victory in a snap election last month.

Abe easily won the race Wednesday with 312 votes in the 465-seat lower house. He is expected to reappoint the same ministers to his Cabinet later in the day.

The 63-year-old Abe dissolved the lower house in late September to force an election. Political analysts saw the move as an attempt to win a fresh public mandate and re-establish his hold on power after a plunge in his approval ratings last summer.

The Oct. 22 election victory boosted Abe’s chances of being re-elected as leader of his Liberal Democratic Party next September to a fresh three-year term. He has been prime minister since December 2012.

 Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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