Sanae Takaichi, the head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, was elected the nation's new prime minister.

Outlets, including Japan's Kyodo News, reported Tuesday that Takaichi had secured 237, a majority, of the 465 votes cast in a first round of voting in the lower house of Japan’s parliament, avoiding a runoff.

Takaichi went on to win 123 votes in the first round of the upper house election, one vote short of a majority, then 125 votes in a runoff against Yoshihiko Noda of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, securing the prime minister post.

Takaichi is Japan's 104th and first female prime minister since Hirobumi Ito established the Cabinet system in 1885 and became the nation's first prime minister.

Takaichi is expected to receive her certificate of appointment from Japanese Emperor Naruhito later in the day before launching a new Cabinet.

The 64-year-old, a ten-term member of the House of Representatives, was the country's minister in charge of economic security in the Fumio Kishida Cabinet, the chairperson of the LDP's Policy Research Council; and other Cabinet posts in the Shinzo Abe Cabinet.

A hardline conservative, Takaichi has held hawkish views on historical and territorial issues stemming from Japan's colonial era and paid regular visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine that honors the war dead, including Class-A war criminals.