Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in his position despite projections showing his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) losing its majority in the Upper House of parliament in one of the most turbulent elections in Japan's recent history, local media reported.
The ruling coalition of the LDP and Komeito won around 41 of the 125 seats contested, short of the 50 needed to retain a majority, Nippon TV and TBS projected based on exit polls on Monday.
Early projections showed that the coalition was unlikely to retain its majority in the crucial elections, with the ruling bloc and opposition locked in a neck-and-neck contest to secure the 125 seats in the 248-member House of Councillors.
Nationwide voter turnout stood at an estimated 58.52 percent as of 4 am Monday, Japan Today reported, higher than the 52.05 percent seen in the previous Upper House election in 2022.
The LPD is still the single largest party in the Upper House, with initial reports suggesting that the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) is positioned to be the second largest party.
Ishiba vows to carry on
Ishiba said he is determined to remain in office despite the expected blow to his party.
"We must humbly and sincerely accept the harsh situation," he told a news conference, NHK reported.
Asked if he intends to remain as prime minister and ruling party leader, he said: "That's right."
"We are engaged in extremely critical tariff negotiations with the US...We must never derail these negotiations," he added, referring to efforts to beat an August 1 deadline for higher US tariffs.
He said the LDP is still the largest party in parliament by any measure and thus has a major responsibility to deliver results.
'Japanese First'
The Sanseito party, which is likely to gain several seats in the election, may link up with the LDP, "depending on policy coordination," said party leader Sohei Kamiya, according to Kyodo News.
The Sanseito party emerged as one of the biggest winners in Japan's upper house election on Sunday, gaining support with warnings of a "silent invasion" of immigrants, and pledges for tax cuts and welfare spending.
Birthed on YouTube during the Covid-19 pandemic, spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites, the party broke into mainstream politics with its "Japanese First" campaign.
The party won 14 seats, according to public broadcaster NHK, adding to the single lawmaker it secured in the 248-seat chamber three years ago. It has only three seats in the more powerful lower house.
Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), denied that his party is in any "grand coalition" with the LDP, Kyodo reported.
If Ishiba continues as premier, the CPD is reportedly considering a vote of no confidence against him.
No other opposition party has indicated that they will support Ishiba in the upper house.
Millions of voters headed to nearly 45,000 polling stations nationwide to elect 125 lawmakers for the Upper House of parliament in a crucial test for the Ishiba-led ruling coalition, which already lost its majority in the lower house last year.
The last time the LDP lost its majority in the upper house was in 2007.
