THE RULING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF JAPAN WAS RETURNED TO POWER WITH A COMFORTABLE MAJORITY TODAY (MONDAY) AFTER YESTERDAY'S GENERAL ELECTIONS. THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS LOST SIX SEATS BUT WERE EXPECTED TO LOSE MANY MORE AS A RESULT OF RECENT POLITICAL CORRUPTION SCANDALS.

JAPAN'S 63,000 VOTERS CAST THEIR BALLOTS AT SOME 45,800 POLLING STATIONS. THE PARTY LEADERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MR SASAKI, VOTED AT STATIONS IN TOKYO. MR SASAKI VOTED IN SENDAI CITY, SOME 155 MILES (250 KLMS) NORTH OF TOKYO. THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS WON 277, GIVING THEM AN OVERALL MAJORITY OF 68 IN THE 486-SEAT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THE SOCIALISTS, THE MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY, LOST FOUR SEATS, LEAVING THEN WITH 140. THE MODERATE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST PARTY INCREASED ITS STRENGTH TO 30, A GAIN OF SEVEN SEATS. IN ITS FIRST CONTEST, THE NEW KOMEITO PARTY, AN OFF-SHOT OF A BUDDHIST SECT, WON 25 SEATS. THE COMMUNIST PARTY, WHICH PUT UP 123 CANDIDATES, WON ONLY THE FIVE SEATS THEY HAD BEFORE.

PRICE RISES WERE A BIG CAMPAIGN ISSUE, TOGETHER WITH THE OPPOSITION CHARGES OF CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT WHICH FORCED THE ELECTION PREMATURELY UPON MR SATO. ALTHOUGH THE RESULTS SEEM TO SHOW SOME DISILLUSIONMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT, MR SATO CONSOLIDATED HIS OWN LEADERSHIP OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS. HIS CRITICS IN THE PARTY DID NOT WELL AT THE POLLS.