Voters reject Japan ruling party
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe led his scandal-stained ruling coalition to an unexpectedly severe defeat in parliamentary elections 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.
Official election results released today 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.
LDP’s loss in the less-powerful upper house would not immediately threaten its political grip because it controls the lower chamber, which chooses the prime minister.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico asks for U.N. help
Puerto Rico’s ruling party approved a resolution Sunday urging the United Nations to review the island’s status, hoping international pressure can help it gain greater autonomy from the United States.
It was the first time Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila’s Popular Democratic Party, which has favored the current commonwealth status, has called for such a change.
Gaza Strip
Palestinians return from Egypt
More than 100 Palestinians stranded for weeks in Egypt after the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip began returning home Sunday, entering Israel and riding buses to a crossing point into northern Gaza.
The first three Palestinians crossed into Gaza through the Erez checkpoint late Sunday afternoon. They were greeted with kisses and hugs from relatives, who rushed them away in cars.
The violent Hamas takeover of Gaza last month triggered the closure of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, which was run by Palestinian security officials with European supervision and Israeli security in the background.
The closure stranded about 6,000 Palestinians on the Egyptian side.
From wire reports