Major victory for Japan's ruling party post Abe assassination

Japan's governing party and its coalition partner have scored a major victory in a parliamentary election imbued with meaning after the assassination of former PM Shinzo Abe amid uncertainty about how his loss may affect party unity.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner Komeito raised their combined share in the 248-seat chamber to 146 — far beyond the majority — in the elections for half of the seats in the less powerful upper house.

With the boost, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stands to rule without interruption until a scheduled election in 2025.

That would allow Kishida to work on long-term policies such as national security, his signature but still vague "new capitalism" economic policy, and his party’s long-cherished goal to amend the US-drafted postwar pacifist constitution.

Uniting the party

Kishida welcomed the major win but wasn't smiling, given the loss of Abe and the hard task of unifying his party without him. In media interviews late on Sunday, Kishida repeated: "Party unity is more important than anything else."

He said responses to Covid-19, Russia's assault on Ukraine and rising prices will be his priorities. He said he will also steadily push for reinforcing Japan’s national security as well a constitutional amendment.

Kishida and senior party lawmakers observed a moment of silence for Abe at the party election headquarters before placing on the whiteboard victory ribbons next to the names of candidates who secured their seats.

Abe, 67, was shot while giving a campaign speech in the western city of Nara on Friday and died of massive blood loss. 

He was Japan's longest-serving political leader over two terms in office, and though he stepped down in 2020 was deeply influential in the LDP while heading its largest faction, Seiwakai.

Suspect's motive

On Sunday, the suspect accused of his murder was transferred to a local prosecutors’ office for further investigation, and a top regional police official acknowledged possible security lapses allowed the gunman to get close to Abe and fire his homemade gun at him.

The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, told investigators he acted because of Abe's rumored connection to an organisation that he resented, police said, but had no problem with the former leader's political views. 

The man hated a religious group that his mother was obsessed about and that bankrupted a family business, according to media reports, including some that identified the group as the Unification Church.

Japan is known for its strict gun laws. With a population of 125 million, it had only 21 gun-related criminal cases in 2020, according to the latest government crime paper. 

Experts say, however, some recent attacks involved use of consumer items such as gasoline, suggesting increased risks for ordinary people to be embroiled in mass attacks.