Veteran Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Chikage Ogi on Friday became the first woman president of Japan's House of Councilors, after gaining approval at an extraordinary parliament session.

Ogi, 71, served as the first head of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry when it was created in January 2001 through Japanese government's administrative reforms.

In the lower house, Takako Doi served as House of Representatives speaker from 1993 to 1996, being the first woman to hold the position.

Source: Xinhua