Japan’s ruling party loses all 3 seats in special vote, seen as punishment for corruption scandal

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s governing party appears to have lost all three seats in Sunday’s parliamentary by-elections. The Liberal Democratic Party’s loss is considered a voter punishment for its links to a yearslong corruption scandal that erupted last year and has undermined Kishida’s leadership. His party’s loss of power is unlikely, however, because of the fractured opposition. Exit polls show the liberal-leaning main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan projected to win all three seats in Shimane, Nagasaki and Tokyo. The loss could undermine Kishida’s clout and LDP lawmakers may try to bring him down to put a new face ahead of the next general election.