Japan's ruling party falls short of majority in tightest vote in years

Japan's ruling party has missed out on a parliamentary majority for the first time since 2009, a result that strikes a blow to new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

The snap poll was called in early October, following a party slush fund scandal that led to the resignation of Fumio Kishida and Ishiba's narrow election to the party's leadership.

Voters in the world's fourth-largest economy have been rankled by rising prices.