Japan's ruling party nominates female upper house president

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has decided to nominate former transport minister Chikage Ogi as president of the House of Councilors, the Asahi Shimbun said Wednesday.

If approved at the extraordinary parliamentary session on Friday, Ogi, 71, will become the first female president of Japan'supper house.

She served as Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister from January 2001 to September 2003.

Ogi quitted the LDP in 1994 and resumed the membership in 2003 when her Liberal Party merged with the LDP.

The LDP suffered a setback in the upper house election early this month, falling short of the 51-seat target. Despite that, theruling bloc still enjoys a majority.

During the extraordinary parliamentary session, the major opposition Democratic Party of Japan is expected to ask for a repealing of pension reform laws which were regarded as one of themajor reasons for the ruling party's failure in the upper house election.

Source: Xinhua