Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling coalition has won a major victory in Sunday’s election, gaining the majority of seats in Japan’s upper house, according to exit polls cited by local media.
While official results are still being tallied, exit polls on Monday morning showed that Prime Minister Abe’s ruling coalition has won 70 out of 121 seats.
Together with the pro-constitutional revisionists, his coalition looks to have gained a two-thirds majority of the upper house.
The result will allow him to make a step forward towards constitutional amendments, a controversial issue that has divided the nation.
Many in the public have been critical of Prime Minister Abe and his party’s desire to change the constitution to loosen restrictions over military activities.
However a more militarily assertive China and North Korea’s continued nuclear development has made Japan’s people nervous about regional security.
The constitutional changes will be able to be made once a national referendum approves Parliament’s proposal.