Japan's ruling LDP expected to keep lower house majority: exit polls

Tokyo [Japan] October 31 : Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition Komeito is expected to retain a majority in the House of Representatives following Sunday's general election, Japanese media informed citing exit polls.
LDP and Komeito appear to have won at least 233 of the 465 seats in the powerful lower chamber of parliament, defeating opposition parties, Kyodo News reported.
This came as new PM Kishida seeks a public mandate for his COVID-19, economic and security policies.
If so, the LDP would have lost many of the 276 seats it held prior to the election, but Kishida has said he will claim victory if the LDP-Komeito coalition retains a majority.
Polling stations across Japan were closed at 8 pm (local time) and ballots are being counted, with the final outcome hinging on dozens of battleground constituencies where candidates were neck-and-neck, Kyodo News reported.
Meanwhile, Kishida has promised to pump growth in the world's third-largest economy. His government has also promised to secure more hospital beds to treat COVID-19 patients in preparation for a possible sixth wave of infections.
Voting for Japan's general election began on Sunday morning.