Things continue to look bad for the party of MangaMan. Just a moment ago, it was DPJ 39, LDP 5, Komeito (for all practical purposes the same as the LDP) 3.
NHK showed a quick comparison to the last Tokyo election when the LDP/Komeito won 70, and the DPJ won
I was a bit embarrassed to see that Ota-ku leaned a little more to the LDP/Komeito* than I wanted, but I live close enough to the ward line that I can happily claim Setagaya-ku which so far seems to have chosen a little better.
*Just heard that there is a large Komeito-related temple in Kamata which might explain Ota-ku.
Update 10:25: The gap is closing a bit: LDP/Komeito: 22. DPJ: 45
1040 pm: Oh, the rookie mistake of getting overly excited about early returns: LDP/Komeito 32, DPJ 46. Still looks like a solid win for the DPJ, but I don't want to jinx it.
1108 pm: 50 each, LDP/Komeito and the DPJ. I take back what I said earlier about Ota-ku and Setagaya-ku.
1109 pm: I despise blogger. Where did my 1058 go? Auto-not-saved.
1134 pm: LDP/Komeito 58, DPJ 52, others: 10. Still waiting for 7.
1145 pm: Counting has slowed to a snail's pace. LDP/Komeito 58; DPJ: 54; others: 11. Remaining: 4.
1200 am: LDP/Komeito: 59; DPJ: 54; others 11; remaining; 3.
The LDP has lost its majority. An urban defeat, but still a defeat. As Fish would say in Allie McBeal, "Bygones."
Even better: Ishihara, 76, is clearly anxious about the outcome as he will face a much more difficult time managing the Tokyo metropolitan government if the assembly coalition made up of the LDP and New Komeito loses its majority. Asahi Shimbun
