Japan: Shinzo Abe set for victory in parliamentary elections, promises to deal firmly with North Korea

Following projections of “super-majority” in the snap parliamentary elections, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged that he would deal with North Korea firmly.

With Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition set to secure at least 312 seats, according to public broadcaster NHK, the current prime minister would become Japan’s longest-serving premier with this victory in hand.

The two-thirds would allow Abe to propose changes to the country’s pacifist constitution to beef up the status of the military, which is effectively restricted to self-defence currently, AFP reported.

Responding to projections of victory, Abe was quoted as saying, “As I promised in the election, my imminent task is to firmly deal with North Korea. For that, strong diplomacy is required.”