Exit polls: Japan's ruling party loses majority in Parliament

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba failed to win an absolute majority in the lower house of Parliament today in the early parliamentary elections, for the first time since 2009, according to public television NHK projections.

Projections given on the basis of exit polls for now do not allow to determine whether the coalition formed by the LDP with its smaller partner Komeito from the center-right managed to preserve the majority in the Parliament.

According to projections, the LDP won between 153 and 219 seats in the lower house of Parliament, NHK television reported, while the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) won between 128 and 191 seats. In order to control the parliament, the party needs to win 233 seats, which means that the LDP will have to enter a coalition to stay in power, writes the BBC.

The LDP was previously in a coalition with the smaller Komeito party, but according to projections, it is indicated that together they will have more seats than the required majority, which causes uncertainty about how the fourth largest economy in the world will be governed, the BBC indicates.

The election was called by the new leader of the LDP, Shigeru Ishiba, three days after he was elected leader and before he was officially sworn in as prime minister.

The elections are being held after a turbulent year for the LDP, plagued by a series of scandals, widespread voter apathy and record low support.

Earlier this year, the party had positive ratings below 20 percent, after the scandal surrounding political fund-raising.

However, the opposition parties failed to unite, or to convince the voters that they are a viable option for government. The main opposition party had an approval rating of just 6,6 percent before parliament was dissolved.