Fukuda elected new LDP president

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.