Japan’s ruling party braces for blow in lower house election

Shigeru Ishiba is under pressure with voting under way for Japan’s lower house (Kyodo News/AP)

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s conservative ruling party is braced for a blow to its comfortable majority in elections to the lower house of parliament amid public rage over financial scandals and discontent over a stagnant economy.

According to exit polls by public broadcaster NHK, Mr Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party is certain to lose the majority in the 465-seat house, the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber parliament.