Japan Faces Political Upheaval as LDP Coalition Loses Majority
- LDP-led coalition falls short of required 233 seats, NHK says
- Ruling party may seek partners in bid to form government
Japan faces a period of political instability after the ruling coalition failed to win a majority in parliament for the first time since 2009, setting up a race among two main blocs to form a government.
A gamble by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to call an early election backfired, as voters punished his ruling Liberal Democratic Party after revelations last year that party members had systematically failed to declare donations from supporters.