Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the New Komeito Party, scored a decisive victory in an upper house election on Sunday. The victory will enable Japan to escape its political deadlock and set the stage for the first stable government since 2006.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe smiles as he puts a rosette on a name of a candidate, who is expected to win. (Photo: Reuters)

Preliminary results showed that the coalition secured 73 of 121 seats of the upper house, giving it control of both houses of parliament.