Japan ruling party set for strong election showing after Abe killing

Abe's LDP seen gaining from sympathy vote; strong showing would strengthen PM Kishida's rule

Japanese voters went to the polls on Sunday for a parliamentary election that may give the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) a surge of support after the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a dominant politician and power broker.

Abe, Japan's longest-serving modern leader, was gunned down on Friday during a speech in support of a local candidate in the western city of Nara, a killing the political establishment condemned as an attack on democracy itself.

Turnout as of 11 a.m. (0200 GMT) was 10.44%, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said, was up from 9.7% at the same point during the