Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on his election, saying he looks forward to working with him to develop India-JapanÂs unique strategic and global cooperation. On Monday, the Japanese parliament elected Kishida as Prime Minister.

Kishida defeated Yukio Edano, the leader of the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, by a comfortable margin, with his party and its coalition partner possessing a majority in both houses.

Taking it to the tweeter, PM Narendra Modi wrote, “Congratulations and best wishes to the new Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Kishida Fumio. I look forward to working with him to further strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership and advance peace and prosperity in our region and beyond”.

Newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Monday that the lower house will be dissolved next week in preparation for elections on October 31. Kishida is seeking a new mandate to deal with the Covid-19 outbreak, the falling economy, and security challenges from China and North Korea.

ÂOur fight against the coronavirus is continuing, Kishida told his first news conference Monday night after taking office. ÂCOVID-19 measures is the urgent and top priority, and I will handle the problem taking into consideration the worst-case scenario. He said he will review the past virus handling and seek to set up a crisis management unit.

He also promised to press on with a large-scale recovery plan to help individuals affected by the outbreak.ÂIn order to take large-scale COVID-19 measures, I need to get the peopleÂs mandate, Kishida said, adding that he will pass up attending G-20 and COP-26 climate meetings in person.

Kishida, a former foreign minister, was once seen as a moderate but, in order to win over conservatives in his Liberal Democratic Party, he became more hawkish on security and more conservative on gender equality and other topics. His election to succeed Suga as the party’s leader last week was considered as a vote for continuity and stability over change.

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