As was widely predicted in media polls, the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Komeito swept a two-thirds majority of the Lower House in the general election held Dec. 14.

Voter turnout was a postwar low of 52 percent and popular votes collected by the LDP accounted for only about a quarter of the nation's eligible voters.

Public interest in the election remained low — just as calculated by the Abe administration, which held the election right after dissolving the Lower House, shortening the time for campaigning, and set election day on a busy yearend Sunday.