Japan: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida calls LDP's election triumph 'big deal'

Fumio Kishida, the Japanese Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) described the party's victory in the lower chamber of parliament as a big deal. Out of the total 465 seats, the LDP won 293 in a coalition with the Komeito Party, where the LDP alone won 261 seats. According to NHK TV, Kishida said that in the elections for political power, their party received almost half of the votes cast and it's a big deal. He also said that this is something they are going to use in their political and parliamentary leadership.

With the victory, the party will be able to designate new leaders of crucial committees in the lower parliamentary house, as well as ensure that the party has the most seats in such bodies. On Sunday, the lower house of Japan's parliament held elections, where the LDP's major opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party, received 96 seats. The parliamentary seats were contested by a total of 1,051 candidates from nine parties.

Yoshihide Suga resigned after a year in office

The Prime Minister said that it was a difficult election, but the people's desire was demonstrated that they want them to build this country's future under the stable LDP-Komeito coalition and his administration, according to IBT Times. Former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga resigned after a year in office, partially due to public dissatisfaction with his handling of the COVID-19 situation. Kishida was appointed when Suga resigned.

On November 10, Parliament will hold a session to affirm Kishida as Prime Minister officially. According to Kyodo News, the Cabinet would likely remain virtually unchanged. The election was viewed as a referendum on the party's nine-year leadership in Japan, which was led by two Prime Ministers, Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga.

Japan has roughly 18,000 COVID deaths

On the other hand, Japan has roughly 18,000 COVID deaths, a modest number for a country with a population of 126 million people, and has never implemented a full lockdown. However, many businesses, particularly pubs and restaurants, have suffered as a result of lengthy commercial activity limitations. Kishida promised that the government would set more beds for COVID-19 treatment in the event of a possible sixth wave in the country and that a stimulus package would be introduced within a year to help the country's struggling businesses.

(Inputs from ANI)

Image: AP