VOTE COUNT CONTINUES. HE MAY GET SUPERMAJORITY
The coalition of the Liberal Democratic
Party (‘LDP’) and Komeito, led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, will return to
ruling Japan, after today’s legislative elections.
The coalition has won, based on 95% of the
votes counted, 303 seats out of a total of 465 seats in the Lower House, thus
securing majority, but not two-third supermajority, for which 310 seats are
needed.
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| Seat allocation in Japanese Lower House - 23 October - 00:30 JST |
However, at this moment not all hope is
lost, as 21 seats have not yet been allocated. In the previous elections, in
2014, Abe’s coalition had won 318 seats. Turnout has been 56.3%, consistent
with a trend downwards since the end of WWII.
Abe has benefitted from his tough rhetoric
against North Korea in recent months, according to large circulation daily Asahi Shimbun.
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| Shinzo Abe, Japanese PM |
Abe’s government began last year
negotiations with the European Union for signing a Free Trade Agreement. Japan
has also given this year signals of interest in improving trading with, and
investment in Turkey.
Japan’s head of state is the Emperor. His
role, after the Constitution adopted following the end of WWII, is cosmetic.
The country’s democratic system—a parliamentary monarchy—observes the principle
of separation of powers among the legislative, the executive, and the
judiciary.
The legislative is represented by the Diet,
which is composed of the Upper House (‘House of Councillors’) and the Lower
House (‘House of Representatives’).
The judicial branch consists of a Supreme
Court and four classes of lower courts—high courts, district, family, and
summary courts.
The executive branch is represented by the
Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister. He/she is appointed by the Diet after the
legislative elections and, therefore, represents the ruling party, or ruling
coalition of parties.
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