Japan's ruling coalition loses its majority in the parliament's lower house, according to the Japanese TV channel NHK.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is still the largest party in parliament, and a change of government is not expected in the country. However, since the coalition no longer has a majority, it may be difficult for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to get his policies through, and an additional coalition partner may be needed.
The coalition still has a majority in the less influential upper house.
LDP leader and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba took office on October 1 and announced new elections. As a result of several corruption scandals, the party's popularity among the general public has declined, and opinion polls have been low ahead of the election.
The Liberal Democrats have ruled almost uninterrupted for the past decades.
