Japanese voters "appear to have soundly rejected the ruling party that has set the nation's course for more than half a century, choosing instead an untested rival to grapple with a weakening economy and rapidly aging society," the Wall Street Journal reports.
"The upstart Democratic Party of Japan will likely win 321 seats out of the 480 total, while the ruling Liberal Democratic Party may win 97 seats, private broadcaster TBS said based on its own exit polls."