Japan's ruling LDP wins more seats than forecast, in vote of trust for PM Kishida (Update)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's next major electoral test will only come in July next year. - AFP

TOKYO (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) delivered a better-than-expected showing in Sunday's general election, in a result that surpassed media estimates, according to final results on Monday (Nov 1).

The LDP won 261 seats, which is down from 276 in its pre-election strength. But this was higher than the up to 253 seats that several media outlets, including public broadcaster NHK, had forecast it would win.