Japanese House of Councillors Election, July 2007

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I find Japanese politics interesting, but highly depressing.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I find Japanese politics interesting, but highly depressing.

Almost as depressing as Irish Politics.....

As the LDP has only been out of power once since 1954 (and not for very long), Japanese politics is, probably, slightly worse.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Exit polls report that the LDP has been beaten, and beaten badly. From the FT's website:

Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic party on Sunday night appeared to be headed for a crushing defeat in upper house elections according to exit polls, which predicted a landslide victory for the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.

Of the 121 seats up for grabs – half the upper house total – exit polls by all the major broadcasters showed the LDP winning 44 seats or less, with the DPJ winning at least 55 and possibly more than 60. Some television polls showed the LDP falling below 40, approaching the worst defeat in its history.

If the polls are right and the DPJ wins a simple majority, it would be the first time an opposition party has single-handedly controlled the upper house since the long-dominant LDP was formed in 1955.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

With 28 seats yet to be called, the numbers are:

DPJ 54, LDP 24, NK 6, JCP 2, SDP 1, PNP 1, NPN 0, Indies 5

[Filuwaúrdjan]

DPJ 60, LDP 37, NK 8, JCP 3, SDP 2, PNP 2, NPN 1, Indies 7