Japan's parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister Tuesday, one day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner that would pull her governing bloc further to the right. 

Takaichi replaces Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the Liberal Democratic Party's disastrous election loss in July.

When her name was announced, Takaichi, gently bowed her head. 

The Liberal Democratic Party and Osaka-based rightwing Japan Innovation Party, or Ishin no Kai, signed a coalition agreement Monday on policies underscoring Takaichi’s hawkish and nationalistic views.

Takaichi won 237 votes — four more than a majority — compared to 149 won by Yoshikoko Noda, head of the largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, in the lower house, which elects the prime minister.

Takaichi, 64, will present a Cabinet with a number of allies of LDP's most powerful kingmaker, Taro Aso, and others who backed her in the party leadership vote.

The LDP's alliance with Ishin no Kai ensured her premiership because the opposition is not united.

But Takaichi's untested alliance is still short of a majority in both houses of parliament and will need to court other opposition groups to pass any legislation — a risk that could make her government unstable and short-lived.