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| Japan exit polls suggest boost for PM Abe in senate election | Japan exit polls suggest boost for PM Abe in senate election |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Voting has closed in Japan's parliamentary election, with exit polls suggesting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will increase his majority. | Voting has closed in Japan's parliamentary election, with exit polls suggesting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will increase his majority. |
| Half of the 242 seats of the upper house of parliament were up for grabs. | |
| Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is hoping for backing for his economic policies. | Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is hoping for backing for his economic policies. |
| If he can achieve a two-thirds majority in the upper house to match that in the lower house, he could also hold a referendum on constitutional change, easing constraints on military action. | |
| Polling stations closed at 20:00 local time (11:00 GMT). | Polling stations closed at 20:00 local time (11:00 GMT). |
| Mr Abe's governing Liberal Democratic Party currently has 116 seats in the upper house and can also count on 20 seats for its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party. | |
| Public broadcaster NHK said the two parties together would take between 67 to 76 of the 121 seats in dispute. | |
| What is Abenomics? | What is Abenomics? |
| The BBC's Stephen Evans, in Tokyo, says Mr Abe has fought his campaign on his economic record, but the sub-text of the election has been the power to amend the constitution. | The BBC's Stephen Evans, in Tokyo, says Mr Abe has fought his campaign on his economic record, but the sub-text of the election has been the power to amend the constitution. |
| Mr Abe is thought to want to change Article 9, the so-called pacifism clause which forbids Japan from fighting wars abroad. It was imposed by the US after Japan was on the losing side in World War Two, 70 years ago. | Mr Abe is thought to want to change Article 9, the so-called pacifism clause which forbids Japan from fighting wars abroad. It was imposed by the US after Japan was on the losing side in World War Two, 70 years ago. |
| Some in Japan view the constraint as unfair, our correspondent says, and the rise of China has reinforced the view on the right that the clause should go. | Some in Japan view the constraint as unfair, our correspondent says, and the rise of China has reinforced the view on the right that the clause should go. |
| The opposition has asked voters to reject any adoption of a more assertive military role. | The opposition has asked voters to reject any adoption of a more assertive military role. |
| Mr Abe has based his election campaign on his economic policies, although he admits himself that his Abenomics, aimed at ending debilitating deflation, are only "half done". | Mr Abe has based his election campaign on his economic policies, although he admits himself that his Abenomics, aimed at ending debilitating deflation, are only "half done". |
| This is the first nationwide election since the voting age was lowered from 20 to 18. | This is the first nationwide election since the voting age was lowered from 20 to 18. |