The Democratic Party of Japan's rise to pre-eminence in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly may force Gov. Shintaro Ishihara to bend on some of his more controversial policies, notably the funding of troubled lender Shinginko Tokyo, according to observers.

His Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, New Komeito, secured only 61 seats in the 127-seat assembly in Sunday's election, losing their majority, while the DPJ took 54 seats, up from 34 seats before the election.

"The DPJ will increase its level of confrontation with Ishihara," said Yasushi Aoyama, a former vice governor under Ishihara and now a Meiji University professor. "There will be many moments of confusion, and Ishihara's relationship with the assembly will be very difficult."