Japan ruling bloc on course to keep lower house majority: exit polls

Well, what an eye-popping surprise.

The 21st-century feudalism gets another seal of approval from their loyal subjects, and there's no amount of corruption and mismanagement heinous enough to make them think otherwise.

Elections here are purely ceremonial.

Anyone who was eligible to vote but couldn't be bothered to has no right to complain. There are places in the world where people would love to have the right to vote. But anyway, you get what you deserve. Enjoy.

With nearly 70% not bothering to vote the apathetic Japanese public deserve all that they get.

31.64%

Some Japanese I have spoken to just don’t want to bother voting and the rest are told by their respective groups which way to-it’s saddening …

31% is hardly a mandate. Japanese people take their democracy for granted.

If you look at the United States, the bacon of democracy and freedom

Not sure if this was just sarcasm, but no one in the west other than the US itself think this. Their two party system is basically just as broken as Japans "one party system". As for freedom, the only thing Americans have that some countries don't is that they are allowed more ways kill each other. Americans do lack some of the most important pillars of freedom though, such as equal right to education and healthcare.

Sorry for going off topic, many people in asia think this is a real thing and it's annoying.

The article doesn’t mention that LDP has lost their seats almost exclusively to the Isshin party which doesn’t garner a mention :)

If life was like Japanese politics, one would die of boredom or kill oneself, since there would be absolutely nothing to look forward to but More of the Same.

Nothing new to see...move on....

31% wow just smacks of either a complete lack of interest or resigned to the fact the LDP will win so not even bothered.

Isshin must be happy woth results in Osaka...

Yer but Thomas some of us live here permanently and have children and care for the future of the country not just the short term. Your right to leave if your young with no ties for sure! Enjoy and Run!!!!!

@ReasonandWisdomNippon 

Your post is the usual set of whataboutisms. However, I do agree with you that the US is the bacon of democracy in that it seems great until you realise what it's made of and what it does to you. Japan's democracy is more like cheap cheese that you'd buy in a Japanese supermarket, neatly packaged but guaranteed to let you down once you open it.

With a fractured opposition ( 6 parties or so) it was pretty well decided.

The opposition did better at combining candidates for seats, but not nearly enough.

They know what they are up against, but still can't get it together.

It was theirs to lose this time and as usual they did just that.

@garymalmgren

I'm definitely no expert, but a fractured opposition that still stands against a common rival may be better at attracting a wide range of voters. That's what the LDP and Komeito seem to be doing. They, however, have the media on their side, as well as the advantage of incumbency and efficient tactics such as fear mongering about "the left" to distract from their own flaws.

Welp! NHK just called LDP winning a majority on its own, in addition to the boost to Komeito party.

That plus the tripling (!) of support for the right-wing Isshin Party, and you can see the fat lady taking the stage now...

As for Halloween, watching the politicians live on TV, I've seen enough bad black hair dye to make at least 1000 white cats turn spooky black! Boo!

@ReasonandWisdomNippon

Every country has its own version of government. People like ice cream. "Western nations" + South Korea = nothing sensible ever written except maybe a pamphlet written by the Japan Foundation. Or you. I'd just drop talking about "THE WEST." Remember, it's meaningless. Remember also that if you've got nothing to say, you can't hide that behind bromides. They won't save you from the inevitable collapse.

31.64% voter turnout. That’s terrible.

Observing how ostensibly multiparty Japan achieves the very same ends that only coercion can achieve in their own domains, Presidents (for life) Xi and Jong Un are awestruck in bewonderment at how the miracle is achieved.

Ruined Halloween that's for sure!

"The article doesn’t mention that LDP has lost their seats almost exclusively to the Isshin party which doesn’t garner a mention :)"

That's a good point. Also, the fact that even though LDP party stalwarts like Amari might lose their seats (in his case, not to an Isshin candidate but to a CDP candidate), they never "lose" since they will all be given a "proportional representation" seat instead...wait until the next election...then win back their seat through a new majority, once the new guy ends up doing nothing (which is natural enough, being in the opposition!)

Nevertheless, were the LDP to make a "Grand Coalition" with Isshin and Komeito, it would have a sizeable majority once again, maybe even enough to change the Constitution...though it would face real pressure from Isshin to, well...reform! So it won't happen.

Is Japan system perfect??? No

Is your country system any better???

Yes it is! In the nordic European countries and Germany the foundamentals of democracy and alternate are well preserved unlike in Japan.

Your conception of democracy is twisted.

Call it as you want but what you have in Japan is not a full democracy as the Greeks,forefathers of such system conceived.

ReasonandWisdomNipponToday  10:01 pm JST

Is your country system any better??? Noo. It's actually worse when you start comparing numbers and facts.

That argument only works if you actually know where the person you're addressing is from, and that place really does have an electoral system that is worse than Japan's.

You reap what you sow.

Well waiting for travel between Japan and Australia to resume for some

in the world's 3rd largest economy to head to Tasmania to pick fruits. This

is how low the great LDP has plundered this once great country.

The final turnout is usually about 20 to 30% plus the 6 o'clock standing. It will be about 55% in the end.

If 70% of the eligible electoral vote were satisfied with the status quo, they would have formally indicated of a choice. They didn't.

There is no room for frivolous assumption.

Be aware of proportional representation element.

LDP Secretary-General Akira Amari, lost in his single-seat electoral district, Kanagawa No. 13.

Won it back under the proportional representation system. Akira Amari has indicated he will resign, if necessary.

LDP.

Since 1955.

Yubaru, why should a Japanese election ruin your holiday?

Facing his first major test since taking office on Oct 4, Kishida had promised to spur growth in the world's third-largest economy while redistributing the spoils to the middle class under his vision of "new capitalism."

Worlds 3rd largest economy means nada if the wealth is with the big corporation and what matters most

the per capita income is No.21 and last in the OECD. Is there a middle class and if there is what is the income and what percentage of the populace.

New capitalism, oh my, another word with zero substance, with a media more interested in food, he can say what ever he wants.

LDP established in 1955

Making ever a strong wall

Only twice defeated so far

Sone big name may dis-elect , this time has no dropping

"So tell me which party would do better than the LDP now?Waiting ..."

It would have been best to have no party dominate and act with impunity. If the LDP won a pluraily (but not a majority) I would be happier.

Politics really is not that important especially here. Were the DPJ administrations in 1997 and 2009 any better than the LDP?

No, in some ways they were worse. So tell me which party would do better than the LDP now?

Waiting ...

Around 30% turnout might not indicate whether people actually want LDP in power. But at the same time if we look at another perspective than maybe the 70% or so are actually satisfied with the current governance so didn’t bother to vote. Either way, the Japanese people have spoken and LDP will continue to remain in power. No use for us foreigners whining here since we don’t have voting rights ( blessing in disguise since politics can be very stressful )!

Next time I will vote Japan Communist Party. Voting LDP is voting for American rule.

fxgai: "The article doesn’t mention that LDP has lost their seats almost exclusively to the Isshin party which doesn’t garner a mention :)"

Doesn't really matter, given that the Isshin no Kai are just LDP dropouts who also just change their party name every time they lose something, then try to do it again against the public will.

There have been some surprising wins, but mostly not. And what also won't be surprising is when absolutely nothing changes.

Kiyomi Tsujimoto CDPJ deputy leader lost in Osaka-10ward. That's good news.

Do I support LDP 100%?? No. Keshida was Not my pick either. Mr. Kono was my pick even though some of you don't support him either.

Japan has it's own version of democracy and government. It's different Yes. Same with Justice System.

South Korea version of democracy and government is also different. Not the same like many western nations.

If you look at the United States, the bacon of democracy and freedom... They have serious issues, infighting, trust for the government is lower then 25%. Democrats and Republicans are dividing USA, dividing the people, the country.

Is Japan system perfect??? No

Is your country system any better??? Noo. It's actually worse when you start comparing numbers and facts.