Japan's ruling party loses 3 key elections in blow to Suga

Japan’s ruling party lost all three parliamentary by-elections Sunday, loosening Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s grip on power ahead of national elections later this year

TOKYO -- Japan’s ruling party lost all three parliamentary by-elections held Sunday, loosening Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s grip on power ahead of national elections later this year. Suga said he takes seriously the results that are seen as reflecting voter discontent with his government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic as well as scandals involving his ruling Liberal Democratic Party. “I humbly accept the election results as the judgement by the people,” Suga told reporters Monday. (asterisk)We will further examine the results and correct what needs to be corrected." The votes to fill vacant seats — one in the lower, more powerful, house and two in the the upper house — were the first significant elections since Suga took office in mid-September. Two of the seats were left by ruling party lawmakers who resigned over money-for-favors scandals, and the third had been held by a main opposition lawmaker who died of COVID-19.