Japan moving to right

THE governing coalition of Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi looks almost certain to win a single-party majority in a key parliamentary election, NHK public television and other major networks said yesterday, citing their exit poll results.

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NHK says Ms Takaichi's ruling coalition, led by her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), could win more than two-thirds of the 465-seat lower house, the more powerful of the country's two-chamber parliament. The huge jump from its pre-election share could allow Ms Takaichi to make progress on a right-wing agenda that aims to boost Japan's economy and military capabilities, as tensions grow with China and she tries to nurture ties with the United States.