Nhk: Ruling Coalition Certain To Secure Enough Seats To Keep Its Force
NHK's decision desk is projecting that the ruling coalition is certain to secure enough seats to maintain its force and keep a majority in the Upper House.
Our projections show Prime Minister Kishida Fumio's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner, Komeito, have taken more than half of the seats up for grabs.
And we expect that the coalition and other parties in favor of amending the Constitution will surpass a threshold for starting the process to propose a change.
One of the projected winners for the LDP is in Nara, where former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo was shot and killed just days ago. Abe was campaigning with Sato Kei at the time. Sato said he will go to Tokyo on Monday to pay respect to Abe and pass on news of his victory.
The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party is expected to have fewer celebrations tonight. We are projecting that it will not retain its pre-election force.
The LDP and Komeito are projected to have a combined total of 70 seats. That's once you add in representatives still in the middle of their term.
The LDP has so far taken 57 seats.
There is a chance that it will reach 63 seats -- half of what's up for grabs -- even without the help of its coalition partner.
We now focus on the opposition.
The CDP is at 12 seats.
Nippon Ishin Japan Innovation Party is at 10.
The Democratic Party for the People has 2.
The Japanese Communist Party now has 3.
Reiwa Shinsengumi is at 1.
The Social Democratic Party and NHK Party are at 0.
And the tally for all others is 5 seats.
The ruling coalition and two other parties are in favor of amending the Constitution.
They are expected to win at least 87 seats combined, which equates to more than two-thirds of the chamber together with the number of their uncontested seats.
That is the level of support needed in both houses to be able to put a Constitutional amendment proposal to a national referendum.