TOKYO, Dec. 24 -- Shinzo Abe, who was re-elected as Japan's prime minister with a new mandate for another four years, vowed on Wednesday to push forward a controversial constitutional revision.

As president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Abe gained 328 of 470 votes during a prime minister election in the 475-seat lower house and also secured 135 votes in another post- election session in the 240-seat upper house.

Abe's LDP won a landslide victory in the general election on Dec. 14 after he called the snap vote last month due to sluggish economy growth data. Along with its junior partner the Komeito, the LDP-Komeito ruling coalition together garnered 326 seats in the powerful lower house and the bloc also maintains a majority in the upper house.

Abe told a press conference late Wednesday that bringing economic recovery to Japan was one of his priorities, while emphasizing constitutional revision a major goal for his LDP.

Abe said that he and the LDP "are determined to establish a firm economic foundation for the lives of people and at the same time we want to revise the Constitution."

However, the prime minister admitted the constitutional amendment, which he called a "historical challenge," was not an easy work, saying he would try to build a consensus on the issue in the Diet so as to gain support from the two-third majority in both parliament chambers.

The LDP and the Komeito now hold a two-third majority in the lower house, but the ruling coalition maintains less than two- third majority in the upper house.

"After achieving consensus in the parliament, we need to hold a national referendum and it needs support of the majority of the public. This is the crucial and most important part of Constitution amendment," he said.

Prior to the constitution issue, Abe vowed to ensure his economic policy mix, dubbed Abenomics, a success, saying the goal was his administration's "greatest test and challenge."

He pledged to pull Japan out of deflation and make the middle- and small-sized enterprises benefit from the policy. "We must ensure everyone in Japan will be able to feel the benefits of economic recovery."

Abe stressed that his cabinet would set a new economic policy package to support the enterprises and to revitalize regional economies.

On Japan's foreign policies, Abe said he would like to improve relations with China from a broad perspective, adding he knew that "a good Japan-China relationship will definitely serve both countries' interests" and improved ties between the two countries" are what the international community desires."

He also said he had an honest exchange of view with South Korean President Park Geun-hye on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Beijing last month, and supported Park's proposal of a foreign ministerial meeting among Japan, China and South Korea.

The prime minister also said Japan and Russia began preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Japan and he wanted to resolve a territorial dispute with Russia and sign a bilateral peace treaty.

Abe said Japan would work with Russia to seek a peaceful solution to the Ukrainian crisis.

Abe formed his new cabinet shortly after his premiership election, with almost all members of his last cabinet retaining their posts.

Gen Nakatani, 57-year-old former chief of defense agency, was appointed as new defense chief, replacing Akinori Eto who declined the reappointment due to a political fund scandal.

Nakatani is the first Self-Defense Forces' officer to serve as director general of the Defense Agency, the predecessor of the Defense Ministry, under Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2001.

The new defense chief is seen as well-versed in defense and security policy, and an advocate of expanding Japan's security role abroad. The appointment is expected to serve Abe's defense posture since he returned to power late December in 2012.

Some ministers in Abe's cabinet launched in September after a reshuffle, including Eto, were involved in political fund scandals, which forced two women ministers to resign.

Local reports said the new lineup is aimed at pushing forward the economic policy and drafting the government's budget for next year as quickly as possible, as well as accelerating the legislation related to the right to collective self-defense.

"I don't think it is necessary to carry out an all-out reshuffle again as I just did it three month ago. I think the cabinet members could work together to get bills passed in the ordinary Diet session next year," Abe said.

Meanwhile, Japan's opposition parties continued to criticize Abe and his policy, with Yukio Edano, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), saying that his party would confront Abe head on.

"The DPJ has heavy responsibility as the largest opposition party. It is more important for all opposition party to cooperation," he said, blaming Abe's attempt for the constitutional revision and the Special Secrecy Law.

A senior official of the Japanese Communist Party, Yoshiki Yamashita, accused Abe of trying to forcibly carry out his policies, like another sales tax hike and Abenomics, warning the move would trigger public outcry.

"Voters give our party great confidence in the election, and we will fully use the expanded power to counter Abe's 'runaway policies,'" he said.