Even so, Ishiba then faces the prospect of running a fragile minority government as protectionist Donald Trump regains control in Japan's main ally the U.S., tensions rise with rivals China and North Korea, and public pressure mounts at home to tackle a cost of living crunch.

Japan’s parliament is set to elect a prime minister Monday in a mid-afternoon vote that’s likely to keep Shigeru Ishiba in the job despite a national election setback, as the premier prepares for an expected meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump later this month.