Yukio Hatoyama has been appointed Japanese prime minister after his Democratic Party of Japan won last month's general election.
He stood for applause from members of Japan's lower house after they appointed him to lead the country. His party won 308 seats of the 480-seat lower house.
Outgoing Prime Minister Taro Aso was seen off from his official residence in Tokyo. He stepped down from the leadership of the LDP following the party's election loss. A new leader will be chosen this month.
The victory for My Hatoyama ended about 50 years of nearly unbroken rule by the LDP. But his untested party must lead a country facing record unemployment and recovery from a recession.
Mr Hatoyama has formed a coalition with the Social Democratic Party, led by Mizuho Fukushima (l) and the People's New Party, led by Shizuka Kamei (r).
Much focus in the wake of his victory was on his wife, Miyuki Hatoyama. She claims to have visited Venus and met American actor Tom Cruise in a past life.
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