This Sunday, the Liberal Democratic Party suffered a historic defeat in the general election — although Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to stay in power as long as he can.

The party's humiliating rout was presaged just three days before the election by reports of the LDP’s unbelievable decision to give ¥20 million to local branches led by candidates who were denied party endorsement due to their involvement in a slush funds scandal.

The political situation in Japan is now highly uncertain.