THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
October 31, 2021 at 20:50 JST
The Asahi Shimbun
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is on course to gain an outright majority in the Lower House election held Oct. 31, a clear sign that stability was much on the minds of voters in giving new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida a four-year mandate to govern.
However, exit polls conducted by The Asahi Shimbun showed the LDP will lose a number of single-seat districts as a result of the united front put up by the opposition camp.
Junior coalition partner Komeito is expected to reach the 29 seats it held before the election.
The exit polls also indicated a number of possible outcomes for the opposition parties.
The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan was in line to win about the same number of seats it held before the election, 109.
But Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) was set to greatly increase the number of its seats from its pre-election strength of 11.
The Japanese Communist Party was expected to win about the same number of seats as it held before the election, but the Democratic Party for the People was in line to gain a few more than the eight seats it held.
Although Reiwa Shinsengumi might add to its one seat held before the election, there was doubt as to whether the Social Democratic Party could hold onto its one seat. A party initially set up as a protest movement against Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) was not expected to gain a seat.
About 12 independents were expected to win seats.
Voters at 8,670 polling stations in the 289 single-seat districts were asked who they voted for after they cast their ballots.
Cooperation gives opposition a fighting chance in election
October 20, 2021
Survey: LDP on track for single-party majority in Lower House
October 26, 2021
LDP fighting in Upper House by-elections to retain two seats
October 7, 2021
EXPLAINER: How the election system can help both politicians and voters
October 31, 2021
Japan votes in national election, 1st key test for Kishida
October 31, 2021Suu Kyi’s party confident as unofficial Myanmar vote tally shows lead
November 9, 2020
Stories about memories of cherry blossoms solicited from readers
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
A series on the death of a Japanese woman that sparked a debate about criminal justice policy in the United States
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
