TOKYO -- By securing a comfortable majority for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner in Sunday's upper house election, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gained a mandate to proceed with the scheduled consumption tax hike and related economic measures.
On track to become the nation's longest-serving prime minister in November, Abe will now focus on assembling a new cabinet and a fresh party leadership lineup while working out stimulus measures to prop up the economy after the October tax increase.
