The overwhelming victory of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition in the July 10 Upper House election overshadowed regional results that suggest growing numbers of voters in certain parts of Japan aren't as dedicated to the LDP as it first appears.
It's true that, with 146 of the 242 Upper House seats, the coalition is in firm control. But when looking at who won what, and where, the picture becomes more complicated.
There were 73 single-district seats up for grabs. The ruling coalition roughly split the country, taking about 26 seats in districts west and northwest of Aichi Prefecture and the remainder to its east. But the Democratic Party did far better in eastern, and northern, Japan than in the west.