Japan's Political Landscape Shaken: Coalition Faces Upper House Defeat
Exit polls indicate Japan's ruling coalition may lose its majority in the upper house, escalating political instability. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's grip weakens, further challenged by a looming tariff deadline with the U.S. Despite needing 50 seats to retain control, forecasts show they may secure only 32 to 51.

Japan's ruling coalition faces potential upheaval as exit polls suggest it may lose its majority in the upper house following Sunday's election. This development threatens to destabilize the political climate in the world's fourth-largest economy, just as a critical tariff deadline with the United States approaches.
Although the election outcome won't directly decide the fate of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government, which also lost control of the lower house last October, it intensifies the pressure on Ishiba's leadership. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito needed to secure 50 seats to maintain control of the 248-seat upper chamber, but projections by public broadcaster NHK indicate they are likely to obtain between 32 and 51 seats.
The LDP, dominating Japanese politics for the majority of the post-war era, suffered its poorest performance in 15 years during October's lower house election. This electoral setback leaves Prime Minister Ishiba susceptible to no-confidence votes, which could bring down his administration and mandate a new general election.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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