JAPAN: Japanese Prime Minister Mr Junichiro Koizumi's party fell short of its modest target of winning 51 of the 121 seats at stake in yesterday's upper house election, private broadcaster TV Asahi said, a verdict on his three years in office that would weaken his clout and might hamper his economic reforms.
Mr Koizumi's ruling coalition cannot be ousted as a result of the election since it holds a majority in parliament's more powerful lower chamber, and media tallies showed it had retained a majority in the upper house.
Mr Koizumi also looked set to keep his post, despite his Liberal Democratic Party's weak performance which saw it win a projected 49 seats.
The main opposition Democratic Party made impressive gains, taking a projected 50 seats. The Democrats previously held 38 of the contested seats.
Many voters were upset over Japan's dispatch of some 550 non-combat troops to Iraq and unpopular reforms to the creaking state pension system that will cut benefits and raise premiums.