Japan's ruling coalition makes strong election showing after Abe murder

Coalition projected to increase upper house majority; vote seen as bolstering PM's defence, economic plans; election comes after ex-premier assassinated on Friday; final results due Monday

Japan's conservative coalition government was projected to increase its majority in the upper house of parliament in an election on Sunday, two days after the assassination of dominant politician and power broker Shinzo Abe.

Abe, Japan's longest-serving modern leader, was gunned down on Friday during a campaign speech in the western city of Nara in a killing that stunned a country where political violence and gun crime are rare.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), of which Abe remained an influential lawmaker, and its junior partner Komeito were on track to win 69 to 83 of the 125 seats