Before last Sunday's election, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba committed to assuming “responsibility” if the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito failed to achieve the lowest definition of success: a simple majority of 233 seats in the Lower House.
He failed and did so spectacularly.
The coalition obtained 215, and not even Keiichi Ishii, the leader of Komeito, was able to escape the electoral disaster as he lost his own seat. He resigned on Thursday.
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