Landslide victory predicted for ruling party in Japan vote

Japan's main opposition leader Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party answers a reporter's questions at a live interview during the poll count in parliamentary elections at the party headquarters in Tokyo Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. Japan's conservative LDP stormed back to power Sunday after three years in opposition, exit polls showed, signaling a rightward shift in the government that could further heighten tensions with rival China. (AP Photo/Junji Kurokawa)

Japan’s ruling party may be headed toward an even larger-than-anticipated victory in upcoming national elections, according to major media polls published on Thursday.

The Liberal Democratic Party could take more than 300 of the 475 seats in Japan’s lower house election on December 14, Japan’s major newspapers and Kyodo news service said, based on voter surveys each did.

A resounding victory could help Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tackle politically difficult issues such as opening up Japan’s agriculture markets and restarting nuclear power plants.

The Liberal Democrats and coalition partner Komeito were widely expected to win the election, but many analysts have been predicting that they could lose some seats.

Mr. Abe dissolved the lower House last month to force a snap election.