Japan’s ruling coalition set to return to power

JAPAN’S ruling coalition is headed to a clear majority of 252 seats in yesterday’s nationwide Parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said.

The forecast came after early results showed the coalition would narrowly retain power in a nationwide Parliamentary vote, but only against an opposition that appeared set to make big gains against Koizumi’s weakened Liberal Democratic Party.

Facing his first trial in lower house polls since taking power more than two years ago, Koizumi called the tightly-contested race a test of his party’s public support. All 480 seats in the more powerful chamber, including his own, were up for grabs.