Yoshihide Suga succeeds Shinzo Abe as Japan’s leader

Yoshihide Suga has been elected as Japan’s new prime minister(Koji Sasahara/AP)

Japan’s parliament has elected Yoshihide Suga as the country’s new prime minister, following the resignation of Shinzo Abe due to ill health.

Mr Suga bowed deeply several times when the results were announced as his fellow ruling party MPs applauded in Parliament’s lower house, the more powerful of the two chambers where he has a seat. He was also confirmed in the upper house.