Japanese prime minister’s future in doubt after crushing upper house defeat

JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government suffered a crushing defeat in upper house elections yesterday but the conservative leader insisted he would stay in power.

Exit polls said that Abe's Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled Japan almost continuously since 1955, was set to suffer one of the worst drubbings in its history, meaning a rocky road ahead for the hawkish premier's agenda.

Abe assumed power last year on a mission to build a nation prouder of its past, but he has come under fire over a raft of scandals including a government agency's mismanagement of the pension system.

Abe’s coalition looked on course to lose around half of the seats it was defending in the upper house of parliament, exit polls said. If confirmed, the house would come under opposition control.

But the more powerful lower house — where Abe's ruling coalition has an overwhelming majority — was not up for grabs, and the prime minister said he would stay in office.

“I have to sincerely accept the voice of the people,” a sullen-looking Abe said in a television interview.

But he added: “I will continue to assume my responsibility as prime minister because my task of nation-building has just begun.”

Abe’s top aides said they did not believe that voters had repudiated his signature policy goals, such as rewriting the country's pacifist constitution.

“I don’t think people have judged that Abe’s policies have failed,” said LDP secretary general Hidenao Nakagawa.

Nakagawa's deputy, Nobuteru Ishihara, acknowledged: “This was the most severe election verdict I have ever experienced.”

But he added: "There are still high expectations for the prime minister.”

Previous prime ministers have resigned following less severe upper house defeats.