Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party ( LDP) won a majority in the general election held on Sunday, local media reported.
The party headed by former prime minister Shinzo Abe will secure 275 to 310 seats in the 480-seat lower house, according to the exit polls conducted by Japanese broadcaster NHK.
The poll covers about 460,000 eligible voters who have cast their ballots in about 4,200 polling stations across the country. About 69 percent of the respondents gave their answers.
The polls show the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) led by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will gain less than 100 seats, while the Japan Restoration Party and the Tomorrow Party of Japan will get about 40 to 61 seats and 6 to 15 seats, respectively.
The LDP’s ally, the New Komeito Party, will gain about 27 to 35 seats.
As leader of the majority party, Abe is expected to be Japan’s new prime minister if no unforeseen incidents take place during a special session of the Diet, which reportedly to be held on Dec. 26 at earliest to select the country’s new leader.
If Abe is elected as prime minister and organizes his cabinet, the LDP will oust the DPJ and become the ruling party.
On Sunday, the LDP and its ally have agreed at a meeting here to form a coalition government after they win the election.
The two parties said that they will hold consultations after the election so as to coordinate their policies prior to the launch of the coalition.
Xinhua