The few years the opposition held power coincided with the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters that devastated northeastern Japan. Half of the seats of the less powerful upper house, or 121 seats, were up for grabs in Sunday’s vote. The Liberal Democrats won 56 of the 121 seats, official results showed on Monday. The total of 70 seats was far better than the goal of a combined 61 seats set by Abe. With their pro-business policies, the Liberal Democrats have ruled Japan almost continuously since World War II, and until recently enjoyed solid support from rural areas.

Source: New Strait Times July 11, 2016 01:41 UTC