Former PM Abe wins Japan opposition party vote

TOKYO: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won a party election on Wednesday to make him leader of Japan's main opposition group, a position that may put him in line to become premier at the next election.

Abe beat Shigeru Ishiba in a run off for the top position in the Liberal Democratic Party, which is expected to be instrumental in forming a new government in polls likely in the autumn.

In a speech after his victory, Abe pledged to work with lawmakers and get the LDP back into government, three years after it was booted from office.

"Not only for ourselves, not only for the LDP but for the purpose of building a strong Japan, a prosperous Japan, and a Japan in which Japanese people will be able to feel happy about being Japanese," he said.