Japan\u2019s shaky ruling coalition is likely to lose control of the upper house, exit polls showed after Sunday\u2019s election, potentially heralding political turmoil as a tariff deadline with the US looms.<\/p>\n
While the ballot does not directly determine whether prime minister Shigeru Ishiba\u2019s minority government falls, it heaps pressure on the embattled leader, who also lost control of the more powerful lower house in October.<\/p>\n
Ishiba\u2019s Liberal Democratic party (LDP) and coalition partner Komeito need 50 seats to secure the 248-seat upper chamber in an election where half the seats are up for grabs.<\/p>\n
They are forecast to hold 32 to 51 seats, the exit poll by public broadcaster NHK showed. Other broadcasters forecast the ruling coalition would return 41 to 43 seats. If the coalition drops below 46 seats it would mark its worst result since it was formed in 1999.<\/p>\n
That comes on top of its worst showing in 15 years<\/a> in October\u2019s lower house election, a vote that has left Ishiba\u2019s administration vulnerable to no-confidence motions and calls from within his own party for leadership change.<\/p>\n Speaking to NHK two hours after polls closed, Ishiba, 68, said he \u201csolemnly\u201d accepted the \u201charsh result\u201d.<\/p>\n Asked whether he intended to stay on as prime minister and party leader, he said: \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n He later told TV Tokyo: \u201cWe are engaged in extremely critical tariff negotiations with the United States \u2026 we must never ruin these negotiations. It is only natural to devote our complete dedication and energy to realising our national interests.\u201d<\/p>\n Japan, the world\u2019s fourth largest economy, faces a deadline of 1 August<\/a> to strike a trade deal with the US or face punishing tariffs in its largest export market.<\/p>\n The main opposition Constitutional Democratic party is projected to win 18 to 30 seats, from 22 held previously, NHK\u2019s exit poll showed.<\/p>\n The far-right Sanseito party, birthed on YouTube a few years ago, has been the surprise package with its \u201cJapanese first\u201d campaign<\/a> and warnings about a \u201csilent invasion\u201d of foreigners. It is forecast to win 10 to 15 seats in the chamber, up from one held previously, yet it holds only three seats in the lower house.<\/p>\n