Anthony Kuhn

which has stayed in the 60 percent range since she took office in October.

It helped her party beat all opponents, including a newly formed centrist alliance on the left and smaller populist parties on the right.

Takeichi has said she wants to use the mandate to pursue some controversial policies, including tax cuts and increased defense spending.

Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.

The LDP has been in power for most of the past seven decades, and this appears to be their biggest win ever, despite having lost two elections in a row.

They won a two-thirds supermajority in the lower house, allowing them to override vetoes on legislation in the opposition-controlled upper house.

The key factor in the LDP's win is the popularity of Prime Minister Sanae Takeichi.

which has stayed in the 60 percent range since she took office in October.

It helped her party beat all opponents, including a newly formed centrist alliance on the left and smaller populist parties on the right.

Takeuchi has said she wants to use the mandate to pursue some controversial policies, including tax cuts and increased defense spending.

Anthony Kuhn in PR News, Seoul.

Japan's public broadcaster NHK's exit polls show Prime Minister Sanae Takeuchi and her ruling Liberal Democratic Party securing a standalone majority in the lower house of parliament.

At present, Takeuchi's coalition has a narrow majority in the lower house while the opposition controls the upper house.

If, as the exit polls suggest is possible, she gets a two-thirds majority, that would enable her to override upper house opposition to her bills.

The results represent a comeback for the LDP, which has suffered two electoral defeats in a row.

Takeuchi could take the results as a mandate to pursue her conservative agenda, including boosting defense spending.

Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.

Opinion polls show Prime Minister Sanae Takeuchi and her coalition turning their slim majority in the lower house of parliament into a more commanding one.

But it's a gamble, and Takeuchi says that if she fails to win a majority, she'll step down.

A big win could be seen as a mandate to press ahead with Takeuchi's conservative agenda—