Shinzo Abe, president of the Liberal Democratic Party, became Japan's seventh prime minister in six years Wednesday, replacing Yoshihiko Noda of the Democratic Party of Japan.
After leading his party back to power from three years in the opposition, the revived leader said his priority would be to end the nation's extended economic slump.
Abe, who served as one of those short-lived prime ministers from September 2006 to August 2007, immediately formed his Cabinet and said he was looking forward to a fresh start.