TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his party’s stinging defeat in weekend Tokyo assembly elections represented a “severe criticism”, after it lost over half its seats in the vote in a historic loss. Abe was elected prime minister in late 2012 with a mandate to revitalise the economy. But the 62-year-old is under fire over allegations he showed favoritism to a friend in a business deal, which the prime minister has denied. After the election, her Tomin First party increased its assembly seats to 55 by admitting six further candidates who had run as independents. A third party Komeito — a moderate party backed by a Buddhist-linked group — has long sided with Abe in national politics, but is cooperating with Koike’s local party in Tokyo.

Source: Manila Times July 03, 2017 03:22 UTC