'Severe' Election Loss Roils Japanese Politics

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition lost a majority in the 465-seat lower house in a key parliamentary election Sunday, a punishment by voters' outrage over the governing party's extensive financial scandals, per the AP.

• Now what? Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party remains the top party in Japan's parliament, and a change of government is not expected. But the results create political uncertainty. Falling short of a majority makes it difficult for Ishiba to get his party's policies through parliament, and he may need to find a third coalition partner. The LDP's coalition retains a majority in the less powerful upper house. But the LDP is less cohesive now and could enter the era of short-lived prime ministers.

• Numbers: All told, the ruling coalition with junior partner Komeito secured 215 seats, down sharply from the majority of 279 it previously held. It is the coalition's worst result since briefly falling from power in 2009.
• Humbled: Ishiba took office on Oct. 1 and immediately ordered the election in hopes of shoring up support after his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, failed to address public outrage over the LDP's scandals. "The results so far have been extremely severe, and we take them very seriously," Ishiba told Japan's national NHK television late Sunday. "I believe the voters are telling us to reflect more and become a party that lives up to their expectations."
• Rising: The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, led by centrist leader Yoshihiko Noda, made huge gains to 148 seats, from its previous 98. "We accomplished our goal of preventing the ruling coalition from a majority, which was a major achievement," Noda said.

(More Japan stories.)