TOKYO, April 29, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida faced
a fresh setback on Monday after his scandal-hit ruling party lost three
parliamentary seats in weekend by-elections.

Results from local election authorities and media exit polls showed his
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost all three of its seats up for grabs to
the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the country's largest
opposition.

The losses in Tokyo, Shimane and Nagasaki -- which could threaten Kishida's
position as party leader in a vote later this year -- came after the LDP was
rocked by a major kickback scandal linked to political fundraising parties.

Factions of the LDP have admitted to systematically failing to report incomes
from fundraisers for years and sharing the money among their members.

"We saw very serious consequences," said LDP secretary general and Kishida's
right-hand man Toshimitsu Motegi late Sunday, after exit polls indicated his
party had lost.

"It may take a long time, but we will work hard to regain the voters' trust,"
he told reporters.

Local media said Monday that the election losses could encourage LDP
lawmakers to try to bring down Kishida when his term as party leader expires
in September.

"The Kishida administration stands on the edge of a cliff after losing all
supplementary elections," the influential Nikkei business daily said in an
editorial.

The results highlighted "the LDP's decline", the top-selling conservative
Yomiuri Shimbun said.

Kyodo News suggested the loss will "undermine Kishida's political footing and
prod LDP lawmakers to attempt to oust him from power before the next general
election, making it unlikely he will run in the party's presidential race
around September".

Still, the LDP-led ruling bloc controls a comfortable legislative majority,
and there is no clear alternative to immediately replace Kishida among LDP
members.

The LDP was on the back foot going into the special weekend vote.

Two of the seats were vacated by lawmakers who were forced to step down over
separate scandals.

The third one became vacant following the death of a member of parliament who
was also a senior official in a party faction that was deeply involved in the
money scandal.