Yukio Edano was elected Thursday as the first leader of a new opposition party to be created through the merger of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People and other groups.
Voting was held at a hotel in Tokyo attended by 149 Diet members who will join the party.
The name of the new party was also voted upon, with members choosing to retain the name of the CDPJ, the party that Edano has led.
The party's founding conference will be held in Tokyo on Tuesday.
"A general election will be held during the coming year in any case," Edano said after winning the election. "I'll prepare for it so that we can mobilize all your resources."
The leadership election was a one-on-one contest between Edano and Kenta Izumi, the DPFP policy chief. Edano won an overwhelming victory, receiving 107 votes, while Izumi gained 42.
In addition to 88 lawmakers belonging to the CDPJ and 40 belonging to the DPFP, independent lawmakers led by former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and former Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada are also joining the new party.
Edano, 56, has been a lower house member since 1993. He served as chief cabinet secretary in 2011.
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