Japan committee clears way for Fukuda to be PM

TOKYO: Veteran lawmaker Yasuo Fukuda was on Tuesday certain to become Japan's next prime minister after votes between the two houses of the divided parliament.

Fukuda received 338 votes against 117 for main opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa in a mostly party-line vote in the more powerful lower house, it announced. 

"As a result, we have decided to appoint Yasuo Fukuda as the prime minister," Speaker Yohei Kono announced.

The upper house, where the opposition won control in July elections, later approved Ozawa as its choice for prime minister in a 133-106 vote over Fukuda.

"This chamber has decided to nominate Mr Ichiro Ozawa as prime minister," upper house President Satsuki Eda said. 

The decision then went to a special committee including representatives of both houses. The committee could not reach a decision, meaning that the decision on prime minister goes back to the lower house, a parliamentary official said.

The lower house was expected to convene again later on Tuesday and install Fukuda.