In A national Upper House election widely seen as a referendum on Japanese Prime Minister Mr Junichiro Koizumi's controversial reforms, his threeway coalition has increased its majority.
The Prime Minister said his ruling coalition's convincing victory was a mandate to forge ahead with his painful reforms of the nation's troubled economy.
Mr Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its partners, the Buddhist-backed New Komeito Party and the small New Conservative Party, yesterday won a total of 78 of the contested seats.
They needed to win 63 seats of the 121 up for grabs to maintain a majority in the 247-seat chamber. According to results released by public broadcaster NHK, the LDP won 64 seats, Komeito secured 13 and the Conservatives got one seat.
The main opposition, the Democratic Party of Japan, took 20 seats in what was a low turnout. Comments by political leaders on live television as the results came in, however, indicated that despite the apparent endorsement, the government's biggest battles have yet to come.
Speaking on Asahi Television, a hoarse and tired-looking Mr Koizumi, who is credited with single-handedly rescuing the LDP's fortunes, said the vote was evidence of support for his reforms and his cabinet and he warned his party to get behind him. The Prime Minister had earlier promised voters, worried that their ballots might strengthen the LDP old guard, that a clear show of public support would help him defeat the conservatives within his own party.
The comments point to mounting tension over the effect of the Prime Minister's proposed reforms on the LDP's political base, especially in the construction and farming industries. With the country headed for recession again after a decade of economic slump, Mr Koizumi's promise of "structural reform without compromise" has clearly struck a chord with voters, but worried many LDP legislators.
The leader of the main opposition, the Democratic Party of Japan's Mr Yukio Hatoyama, said LDP legislators had publicly supported the hugely popular Prime Minister but "every one knows his own party is full of people who are working against him." There is some speculation that having ridden the Koizumi wave to stay in power, the LDP will try to dump him.
A Fuji Television poll claimed 49 per cent of those who voted for LDP candidates did not support the LDP - a clear indication that many want Mr Koizumi to tackle the diehards in his party.
The Japan Communist Party had managed only four seats, and the Social Democratic Party just two.
The Prime Minister came under fire on television last night for his decision to visit Yasukuni Shrine, resting place of a number of convicted war criminals, in August.
