Japan''s parliament elects new prime minister

Japan''s parliament elected Yoshihiko Noda as the country''s new prime minister Tuesday, making him the country''s sixth new leader in five years. Noda won 308 out of 476 possible votes. The prime minister-elect will officially take over his new post after a ceremonial endorsement by Japan''s emperor, which is expected to happen tomorrow, Wednesday. In his first speech as party leader, Noda called for party unity to tackle Japan''s massive problems. "Running Japan''s government is like pushing a giant snowball up a snowy, slippery hill," he said Sunday. "In times like this, we can''t say, ''I don''t like this person,'' or ''I don''t like that person.'' The snowball will slide down." Ahead of the vote, former Prime Minister Naoto Kan officially submitted his resignation, as did his Cabinet, clearing the way for Noda''s election. The Democratic Party of Japan, the country''s ruling party, picked Noda as its new leader on Monday. He served as finance minister in Kan''s cabinet. On Friday, Prime Minister Kan announced that he would resign. His approval rating had tumbled following the devastating March earthquake and tsunami that triggered the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl as reactor cores overheated and spewed radioactive material into surrounding areas.