‘Historic defeat’ for Japanese premier Abe’s ruling party

THE Liberal Democratic party of Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, suffered a historic defeat yesterday, signalling trouble for the premier, who has suffered from slumping support because of a favouritism scandal.

On the surface, the Tokyo Metropolitan assembly election was a referendum on governor Yuriko Koike’s year in office, but the dismal showing for Mr Abe’s party is also a stinging rebuke of his four-and-half-year-old administration.

Ms Koike’s Tokyo Citizens First party and its allies were on track for up to 85 seats in the 127-seat assembly, according to exit polls.

Later vote counts showed the Liberal Democratic party was certain to post its worst ever result, winning at most 37 seats compared with 57 before the election, while Ms Koike’s party and allies were assured a majority.

“We must recognise this as a historic defeat,” Shigeru Ishiba, a former defence minister, was quoted by NHK television as saying.

Past Tokyo elections have been bellwethers for national trends.