LDP wins majority in Japan's election

TOKYO - Japan's Liberal Democratic Party ( LDP) and its ally, the New Komeito Party, won a stable majority in the general election held on Sunday, local media reported late Sunday.

Japan's main opposition Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leader and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe smiles as he puts a rosette on names of candidates, who are expected to win, as senior officials applaud at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo December 16, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

The two parties have now together secured 260 seats in the 480- seat House of Representatives as the vote counting continues, Japan's broadcaster NHK said.

The LDP headed by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe secured 236 seats in the 480-seat lower house, while its ally gets 24 at 10: 10 p.m. local time Sunday.

Earlier, an exit poll by the NHK said the LDP is expected to win about 275 to 310 seats and its ally will get about 27 to 35 seats.

The poll covers about 460,000 eligible voters who have cast their votes in about 4,200 vote stations across the country. About 69 percent of the respondents gave their answers.

As of now, the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) led by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda only gained 36 seats, while the Japan Restoration Party and the Tomorrow Party of Japan will get about 35 seats and 4 seats respectively.

LDP's Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba said in a press conference that the LDP's seats "will be very close to 300 seats overall."

As the leader of the majority party, Abe is expected to be Japan's new prime minister if there are no unforeseen incidents during a special session of the Diet, which reportedly to be held on December 26 at earliest to select the country's new leader.

If Abe is elected as prime minister and organizes his cabinet, the LDP will oust the DPJ and become the ruling party.

On Sunday, the LDP and its ally have agreed during a meeting here to form a coalition government after they win the majority in the election.

The two parties also said that they will hold consultations after the election so as to coordinate their policies prior to the launch of the coalition.  

Ishiba said his party "will on behalf all public" when the LDP come into power, adding that the LDP will seek cooperation with opposition parties.

Sepcial: 2012 Japan General Election