The ruling coalition needs a total of 125 seats for a majority. They already have 75 uncontested seats, but NHK projections suggest it may be difficult for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito to get the additional 50 needed.

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday stressed the need to establish a common understanding among parties on the pros and cons of cutting the country's sales tax rate. Cutting the sales tax could increase household income temporarily,

Japanese voters headed to the polls on Sunday in a tightly contested election amid public frustration over rising prices and the imminent threat of US tariffs. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner Komeito need to secure a combined 50 seats to retain an overall majority in the upper house but the latest polling shows they might fall short.

PM Ishiba's coalition was projected to have lost its majority in the upper house, a result that might push him to resign.

Japanese voters angry at inflation turned to other parties, notably the "Japanese first" Sanseito, which made strong gains with its "anti-globalist" drive reminiscent of US President Donald Trump's agenda.

Equities mostly rose Monday on optimism countries will reach US trade deals before an August 1 deadline, while the yen gained after Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he would

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's coalition failed to secure a majority in the upper house elections, winning only 47 seats. This defeat leaves Ishiba's government in the minority and prompts concerns over potential political turmoil ahead of critical U.