Japan's ruling coalition wins upper house polls: Report
Japan’s ruling coalition is reportedly set to win a landslide victory in general elections, boosting its majority in the upper house of parliament.
Media projections showed Sunday that the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Buddhist-backed, Komeito, would take at least 63 of the 121 seats in the parliament's upper house.
The two parties have 77 seats from the other half of the chamber, which was not up for grabs in the polls, meaning that they will be able to boost their majority in the 242-seat House of Councilors.
The projections, provided by public broadcaster, NHK, and other media and based on partial results surfacing after polls closed at 8:00 pm (1100 GMT), would give Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition the ability to start amending Japan’s constitution.
The NHK said, based on its analysis, that Abe’s LDP was itself within reach of a majority in the upper house on its own. It said that if that was achieved, it would be a first in 27 years for the party.
The ruling coalition already enjoys a two-thirds majority in the lower house and they need a super majority in the House of Councilors to start a parliamentary motion for changing the constitution. Any legislation on that change, though, would need the approval of the public in the form of a referendum.
Abe, whose economic and military policies have been met with lukewarm public support, hopes that the new mandate would enable him to implement his controversial economic reforms, known as Abenomics.
He also hopes that changes in the constitution would allow him to expand Japan’s military clout. The constitution bars Japan from participating in joint military endeavors abroad. Many Japanese oppose Abe’s efforts and staunchly embrace the pacifist ideal of the constitution.
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