A DPJ executive shakes hands with a newly elected candidate at the party's office in Tokyo on July 3.

The LDP remained the largest in the 127-seat assembly by winning 48 seats. Its coalition ally, the New Komeito party gained two more seats by winning the election of all its 23 candidates but was surpassed by the DPJ, which reaped 35 seats, up from the 19 it held before the election.

While the governing coalition managed to secure a majority in the assembly, the election results point to the emergence of a two-party system in Tokyo and may be an indicator of tight competition between the LDP and DPJ in the next general election for the Lower House, to be held by 2007 at the latest.

The Japan Times Weekly: July 9, 2005
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