Aso Becomes Japan PM, But Election Looms

New leader may go to the polls as soon as next month
By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 24, 2008 8:25 AM CDT
Aso Becomes Japan PM, But Election Looms
Taro Aso, center, bows after he won election as Japan's prime minister in a vote in the lower house of parliament Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008.   (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Taro Aso took office today as Japan's fourth prime minister in just 2 years, and the hawkish new leader appointed several long-time supporters to serve with him in cabinet. But the government may be short-lived, Bloomberg reports. Officials in Tokyo predicted that the PM would call an election as soon as next month, in which he will fight to keep his party from losing its more than 50-year hold on power.
(More Japan stories.)

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