LDP storms to power in Japan

Nationalist parties stormed to power in Japan yesterday and the man expected to become prime minister  Shinzo Abe immediately issued a stern warning to China over the Japan's ownership of islands which it contests.

The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party who led a highly successful campaign, said there was no doubt about his country's ownership of the islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan. Abe said China was challenging the fact that (the islands) were Japan's inherent territory. He added Japan's objective was to stop the challenge. However he said, the party did not want to worsen relations between Japan and China.

Despite their party's name, the Liberal Democrats are inherently conservative and have seized power on an uncompromising nationalistic pitch, promising a return to prosperity for the world's third-largest economy and a more assertive foreign policy.

Exit polls on Saturday had projected a jump of almost 200 seats for the Liberal Democrats with a tally of 310 in the 480-seat lower house of the Diet. The LDP ended up winning 294 seats out of 480 seats in the Lower House.

Conceding defeat last night prime minister Yoshihiko Noda resigned as the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan. He said the results were "extremely severe".

The party was expected to pick up around 77 seats at most, as against 230 previously. The defeat rings down the curtain on the three-year reign of the Democratic Party. The LDP has held power in the country for most of the post-war era.