The Liberal Democratic Party elected Yasuo Fukuda on Sunday as its president, choosing him to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and reverse the ruling coalition's spiraling fortunes.</PARAGRAPH> <PHOTO> <TABLE WIDTH='250' ALIGN='RIGHT' BORDER='0'> <TR> <TD><IMG ALT='News photo' BORDER='0' SRC='../images/photos2007/nn20070924a1a.jpg' WIDTH='250' HEIGHT='232'/></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD><FONT SIZE='1'><B>Yasuo Fukuda –

joins his main contender, Taro Aso (left), and other members of the Liberal Democratic Party in shouting banzai after winning the party's presidential race Sunday. YOSHIAKI MIURA PHOTO

The 71-year-old House of Representatives member obtained 330 votes, or roughly 62 percent of the 527 valid votes cast by the LDP's Diet members and representatives of its 47 prefectural chapters.