(Update) Japan Ruling Bloc Struggles to Keep Upper House Majority

   Tokyo, July 20 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition is struggling to keep its majority in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, in Sunday's election, according to Jiji Press exit polls.
   If the ruling bloc, which gave up its majority in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, in last October's election, loses its majority in the 248-seat Upper House as well, Ishiba could face pressure to step down.
   A total of 125 seats--74 for prefectural constituencies and 50 for the nationwide proportional representation system plus one vacant seat in the Tokyo district--were up for grabs in the Upper House election.
   Ishiba's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Komeito, have 75 uncontested seats together, while their 66 seats were up for grabs in the election. The LDP is struggling to hold onto the 52 seats that were contested in the poll, while Komeito may experience a decrease from the 14 contested seats held by the party up until the election.
   The major opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan will likely see a boost in the number of its seats. The Democratic Party for the People and Sanseito, both opposition parties, are believed to have enjoyed a significant boost in the number of seats.

(2025/07/20-21:21)

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