Japan election results in smallest main opposition party in postwar era

TOKYO - The Centrist Reform Alliance secured just 49 seats in Sunday's House of Representatives election, the lowest total for a main opposition party in Japan in the postwar era.

Following the election, the party, formed in January by bringing together the lower house members of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Komeito party, lacks the requisite strength to submit budget-related bills or a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet.