Japan goes to the polls

Millions of Japanese went to the polls today in nationwide parliamentary elections overshadowed by concerns over Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s social policies and his decision to dispatch hundreds of Japanese troops to Iraq.

Exit polls results by public broadcaster NHK immediately after the voting booths closed indicated Koizumi’s Liberal Democratic Party would keep a majority but be hard-pressed to maintain its current number of seats, while the main opposition party would likely gain strength in Parliament’s upper house.