Click to play videoNew Delhi: Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe led his scandal-stained ruling coalition to an unexpectedly severe defeat in parliamentary elections on Sunday, a stunning reversal of fortune for a party that has controlled Japan virtually uninterrupted since 1955. Despite the humiliating setback, Abe vowed to stay in office.
Abe's Liberal Democratic Party attributed the loss to a number of political scandals and pension problems during the Prime Minister's 10-month rule.
Abe's coalition will not be ousted from government by a loss in the Upper House, since it has a huge majority in the more powerful lower chamber.
But laws will be hard to enact, threatening policy deadlock. A Cabinet reshuffle is also likely.
Official election results released on Monday showed Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, New Komeito, losing their majority in the 242-seat upper house.
The two retained 103 seats, a 30-seat loss well short of the 122 needed to control the chamber.
The leading opposition Democratic Party of Japan made huge gains in the race for the 121 contested seats. It now has 112 seats, up from 81.
It would be unusual for a prime minister to step down after an Upper-House defeat. But calls for Abe's resignation from within his own party are expected to grow.
Looking grim and chastened, the prime minister called the results ''severe'' but dismissed questions about whether he should resign. He was expected to meet with New Komeito leader Akihiro Ota later Monday to confirm their partnership.
(With agency inputs)
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