Japan PM Kishida’s coalition to keep majority but lose seats

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Exit polls show Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s governing coalition is expected to keep a majority in a parliamentary election but will lose some seats in a setback for his weeks-old government grappling with a coronavirus-battered economy and regional security challenges. Public broadcaster NHK says Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito together are expected to win between 239 to 288 seats in the 465-member lower house. According to the projections, their combined seats will exceed a majority of 233 but with a loss from 305 seats previously. Kishida, who was elected prime minister on Oct. 4, says he received a mandate from voters. He says the loss of seats was due to voters’ judgement of his predecessors.