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Election boost for Japan PM

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling coalition won a comfortable majority in the upper house of parliament in yesterday’s election, giving it control of both chambers and a mandate to press ahead with difficult economic reforms.

The win is an endorsement of the Liberal Democratic Party’s “Abenomics” program, which has helped spark a tentative economic recovery in Japan.

“We’ve won the public’s support for decisive and stable politics so that we can pursue our economic policies,” Abe told public broadcaster NHK.

The victory also offers Abe more leeway to advance his conservative policy goals.