Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's nonstop gaffes and his administration's staggering unpopularity were ultimately tolerated by the voters who preferred the status quo to gambling on the opposition.
The ruling coalition led by Mori's Liberal Democratic Party gained more than their targeted 254 seats in the 480-seat Lower House in Sunday's election, securing Mori's leadership for the moment.
A low voter turnout, estimated at 63.16 percent — apparently a result of voter apathy combined with inclement weather throughout the archipelago — was largely responsible for the victory of the tripartite coalition, which is solidly backed by the conservative strata as well as the construction industry, agricultural associations and religious groups.