Japan's PM vows to stay on power despite election loss

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said he has no plans to quit after lost its majority in the country's upper house, reports BBC.

The ruling coalition needed 50 seats to retain control of the 248-seat upper chamber. It ended up with 47. The Constitutional Democratic Party, the main opposition, came in second with 22 seats.

Speaking after polls closed on Sunday, the prime minister said he "solemnly" accepts the "harsh result" but that his focus was on trade negotiations.

Voters went to the polls on Sunday for the tightly-contested election, being held at a time of frustration at the coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner Komeito over rising prices and the threat of US tariffs.

Jeffrey Hall, a lecturer in Japanese Studies at Kanda University of International Studies, said, "Support for more right wing parties had cut into the LDP's conservative support base."

Right-leaning Sanseito party, which drew conservative votes with its "Japanese First", anti-immigration rhetoric.

A political party that gained traction during the pandemic through a YouTube campaign is now gaining popularity among young voters in Japan.

Meanwhile, concerns over the increasing number of foreign nationals and tourists have led the government to form a task force to address rising crime and disruptive behavior linked to foreigners.