Japan votes in national election, 1st key test for Kishida

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese voters are casting ballots in national elections Sunday, a first big test for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to determine if he has a large enough mandate to tackle a coronavirus-battered economy, a fast-aging and dwindling population and security challenges from China and North Korea. Up for grabs are 465 seats in the lower house, the more powerful of the two-chamber Japanese Diet, or parliament. Kishida’s governing Liberal Democratic Party is expected to lose some seats from pre-election levels, but maintain a comfortable majority together with its junior coalition partner Komeito.