Japan PM Fumio Kishida`s LDP defies expectations as ruling party keeps majority in parliamentary election

Fumio Kishida`s conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) emerged with fewer seats in the powerful lower house than it won in the last election in 2017. But the LDP maintained its single-party majority in a big victory for Kishida, who took power only a month ago.

Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida`s ruling LDP defied expectations and held its strong majority in Sunday`s parliamentary election, solidifying his position in a fractious party and allowing him to ramp up stimulus.

Kishida`s conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) emerged with fewer seats in the powerful lower house than it won in the last election in 2017. But the LDP maintained its single-party majority in a big victory for Kishida, who took power only a month ago.

The result was at odds with expectations and initial exit polls that suggested the LDP, hurt by perceptions it mishandled the coronavirus pandemic, would need to rely on its junior coalition party for a majority.