Japan's ruling coalition faces tight election test

People in Japan were anxiously waiting for the results of Sunday's 27th House of Councillors election, with 522 candidates vying for seats in a closely watched contest between the ruling coalition and opposition parties.

The House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan's National Diet, comprises 248 members who serve six-year terms. Elections are held every three years to renew half of the seats. In this cycle, 125 seats are being contested, including one to fill a vacancy.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito currently hold 75 seats that are not up for reelection. To maintain a majority in the 248-seat chamber, they need to win at least 50 more seats.