Japanese premier Fumio Kishida’s coalition set to keep majority

Japanese Prime Minister and President of the governing Liberal Democratic Party Fumio Kishida delivers a speech during an election campaign for the Oct. 31 lower house elections, in Tokyo, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. Kishida faces a crucial test in Sunday’s national parliamentary elections, which will determine if his government will have enough support to stay in power long enough to repair the pandemic-hit economy, and tackle climate change and China’s rise. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida’s governing coalition is expected to keep a majority in a parliamentary election but will lose some seats in a setback for his weeks-old government grappling with a coronavirus-battered economy and regional security challenges, according to exit polls.

Mr Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito together were expected to win between 239 to 288 seats in the 465-member lower house, the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber Diet, public broadcaster NHK’s exit poll showed.