Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Wins Japan General Election

Shinzo Abe to be Japan Prime Minister after LDP Wins 

 

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Shinzo Abe was on course to return as PM of Japan after the party won an overwhelming victory in the general elections held on sunday Dec 16,2012.

 

 

The party won 294 seats and its ally New Komeito gained 31 seats in Sunday’s voting

The Ruling DPJ suffered a heavy defeat in Sunday’s election,winning only 57 seats in the lower house, compared with the 230 seats it held before the election.Eight ministers, including Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura, lost their parliamentary seats.

The newly formed 'Japan Restoration Party', headed by former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara, won 54 seats while the anti-nuclear 'Tomorrow Party of Japan', led by Shiga Governor Yukiko Kada, won 9 seats.  

Voter turnout was 59.32 % down 10 % points from the 2009 elections