TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition may retain its two-thirds parliamentary majority in Sunday's general election, an NHK exit poll showed, bolstering his chances at becoming Japan's longest-serving leader.
Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner Komeito are set to win between 281 and 336 seats of the 465 up for grabs, according to the public broadcaster. Opposition parties were set to split the rest, with the left-leaning Constitutional Democratic Party projected to come in second.
Actual vote counts showed the LDP with enough seats for a simple majority. His coalition has to win about half of the seats left to be counted to clear the two-thirds threshold.
A large win for Abe's coalition would pave the way for more ultra-easy monetary policy and flexible fiscal stimulus that has boosted Japanese stocks and helped Asia's second-biggest economy grow for six straight quarters. It also would give U.S. President Donald Trump a reliable partner in pushing a hardline stance against Kim Jong Un's regime in North Korea.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX