Koizumi wins landslide in Japan election

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won a landslide victory in Sunday's election for parliament's lower house.

They won 296 seats, the Kyodo news agency said.

The main opposition Democratic Party struggled, finishing a distant second with 113 seats, Kyodo said.

Before the 480-member lower house was dissolved the LDP held 249 seats, coalition partner New Komeito had 34 and the Democrats' 175.

But 37 LDP rebels who voted against postal reform were refused a place on the party ticket by Koizumi.

- REUTERS