Tokyo, Feb 10 (NationPress) A special parliamentary session in Japan is set for February 18, where lawmakers will select a new prime minister following the recent House of Representatives election, as reported by local media on Tuesday.

As per Jiji Press, the Japanese Constitution mandates that an extraordinary Diet session be held within 30 days post-election to appoint a prime minister. On the inaugural day of this session, the current cabinet will resign collectively. Both the newly-elected House of Representatives and the existing House of Councillors will subsequently cast separate votes to select a new prime minister, who will then establish a new cabinet.

In the prime ministerial selection process, a candidate must achieve a majority in the first round of voting within each chamber to win directly. If no candidate secures a majority, the top two candidates will progress to a runoff, where the winner is determined by a simple majority. Should the two chambers nominate different candidates and fail to reach a consensus, the Constitution dictates that the decision of the influential House of Representatives will take precedence.

Given that the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) holds over two-thirds of the seats in the lower house, Japanese media reports suggest that LDP President and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is virtually guaranteed victory in the selection process, according to Xinhua news agency.

Following the recent lower house elections, the ruling LDP has significantly increased its number of seats, achieving a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives.

Experts note that LDP President and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi capitalized on the situation quickly before the adverse effects of her policies became apparent, solidifying her ruling position through a swift and entertainment-focused election strategy.

Nonetheless, Japan continues to grapple with deep-rooted economic and social issues, raising concerns regarding Takaichi's accelerated rightward political shift. For her administration, the genuine challenges may just be beginning.

The ruling LDP secured 316 out of 465 seats in the House of Representatives, surpassing the two-thirds threshold. Its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), won 36 seats, bringing their combined total to 352 seats.

On the opposition front, the Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA), formed before the election by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and the Komeito party, saw its seat count plummet from 172 to 49.