Japan’s ruling coalition ‘may barely’ win snap elections, projections indicate

By Riyaz ul Khaliq and Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japan’s ruling coalition faces a close contest in Sunday’s snap elections, with national broadcaster NHK projecting that the coalition “may barely” reach a majority in parliament.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is expected to fall short of a majority on its own, with the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan likely to make substantial gains, according to NHK’s projections. If realized, this outcome could mark a notable shift in Japanese politics, potentially ending the LDP’s unbroken dominance in parliament since 2009.

A party or coalition needs 233 seats for a simple majority to form a government. The LDP, together with its coalition partner Komeito, aims to retain its majority in the 465-member House of Representatives.

More than 45,000 polling stations were set up nationwide for the approximately 105 million eligible voters. However, voter turnout was recorded at just over 20% when polls closed at 8 pm local time.

In this election, each voter casts two ballots - one for single-seat constituency candidates and another for party proportional representation. Over 1,300 candidates are competing for the 465 seats, including 289 in single-seat constituencies and 176 under proportional representation.

Prime Minister Ishiba, who took office on Oct. 1, has pledged to address inflation and bolster Japan’s defense capabilities. However, the LDP faces challenges amid public scrutiny over recent funding scandals.

The opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is seeking to capitalize on public dissatisfaction, positioning itself as a serious contender to the ruling bloc’s longstanding dominance.