Japan Innovation party almost quadruples its seats to become third largest party in lower house

On a night when an expected challenge by the main opposition party quickly fizzled out, candidates from a tiny local party seized one seat after another in Japan’s general election, turning an economically vital region into a citadel of rightwing populism.

Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation party) almost quadrupled its seats from 11 to 41 on Sunday to become the third largest party in the lower house of Japan’s parliament, after winning almost every seat in the western prefecture of Osaka.