UPDATE 4 - Japan’s ruling bloc gains in upper house vote

By Todd Crowell

TOKYO (AA) – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its ruling coalition won a majority of seats in Sunday’s voting for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan’s bicameral parliament.

Kyodo news agency reported that early results indicated that the pro-constitutional reform camp was even heading toward gaining the two-thirds majority needed to amend the American-written constitution.

Earlier in the night, Abe had told a local TV program that parliamentarians are now tasked with discussing amendments through a review commission in both houses.

"The issue of the Constitution was not called into question [in this election]," he was quoted as saying by Kyodo.

"Through thorough debate in the Diet commission and a deepened understanding among the people, we can hope for a convergence [of opinion] on which articles will be amended."

Voter turnout was recorded at approximately 53.66 percent, around the same as that from the last upper house race in 2013 -- even counting the number of new voters attracted to the polls by lowering the voting age from 20 to 18.

The victory of the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito came despite the alliance of convenience between the main opposition Democratic Party and the Japan Communist Party -- who had agreed to coordinate their election campaigns so that they don’t split the opposition vote.