Unseated Japan opposition leader to step down: reports

TOKYO: The leader of Japan's largest opposition party will resign after losing his seat in a weekend election drubbing, reports and officials said Monday.

Banri Kaieda who led the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) to its third consecutive thrashing at the polls, was among the casualties on a dreary night for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's main opponents.

Abe's ruling coalition waltzed home with 326 seats -- a two-thirds majority -- while the DPJ managed 73, just 11 up on last time and a long way off the numbers that gave the party control of the house between 2009 and 2012.

"I deeply regret that we were not able to respond to the voices of people who hoped to reduce the number of seats for the ruling parties," Kaieda told broadcasters late Sunday.