The Nov. 9 election of the House of Representatives ushered Japanese politics into a new era in which two parties will dominate: the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Japan.
Of the 480 seats, the LDP won 237, followed by the DPJ with 177. Placing third was Komeito, which won 34 seats. Other parties suffered setbacks, as the Communist Party won only nine seats, the Social Democratic Party six and the New Conservative Party just four.
Shortly after election day, moreover, the New Conservative Party ceased to exist as all of its members rejoined the LDP. While the once-dominant Social Democrats and Communists were badly beaten, Komeito was able to maintain its presence simply as it was utilized by the LDP as a supplementary force.