Japan's ruling coalition secure majority in Upper House elections

By Al Mayadeen Net
Source: Agencies
11 Jul 2022 08:48

The ruling coalition has secured a majority in Japan's Upper House.

LDP leader Fumio Kishida, standing next to other candidates in the recent campaigns.

As predicted, Japan's ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), alongside the Komeito party, secured the majority of the seats in the upper house of Japan's parliament in the Sunday elections.

The elections took place two days after former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated within a 10-meter shooting range, which occurred during his speech in support of one of current PM Fumio Kishida's candidates in the elections. Kishida is also part of the LDP, of which Abe was an influential lawmaker.

Komeito, a coalition partner for the LDP, secured 13 seats, according to a voting count which was broadcast live on NHK. LDP secured 63 seats - the best result since 2013. The opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party, secured 17 seats.

In terms of demographic composition, there are 35 women among the lawmakers, which is a record number in the history of elections in the House of Councilors.

On Sunday, the voter turnout was 52.04%, according to the Kyodo news agency.

Every three years, elections in the House of Councilors are held. However, only half the deputies are re-elected in the upper house, which enjoys 248 seats.

After Abe's assassination, analysts yesterday were saying that the LDP could be gaining 'sympathy votes.'

“The ruling LDP-Komeito coalition was already on course for a solid victory,” said James Brady, who works at the Teneo consultancy. “A wave of sympathy votes now could boost the margin of victory.”