Shinzo Abe's ruling party wins key election in Japan after former prime minister's assassination

Japan's governing party and its coalition partner scored a major victory in a parliamentary election Sunday, amid uncertainty about how the loss of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot and killed while delivering a campaign speech last week, may affect party unity.

The Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito raised their combined share in the 248-seat chamber to 146 — far beyond the majority — in elections for half of the seats in the less powerful upper house.

With the boost, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stands to rule without interruption until a scheduled election in 2025. Kishida assumed office in 2021, when he additionally became president of the LDP, the conservative party that has maintained governmental power in Japan for the vast majority of the last seven decades. Both positions were previously held by Abe during two terms spanning nine years. He was the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history.