TOKYO -- Japanese were voting Sunday for seats in the smaller of Japan's two parliamentary houses in a key election with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his ruling coalition facing a possible defeat that could worsen the country's political instability.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba faces an increasingly uphill battle in Sunday’s upper house election, and a loss could worsen political instability at a time of daunting challenges, such as rising prices and high U.

Ishiba on Monday vowed to remain in his job even though his LDP-led coalition finished Sunday running a government without a majority in both chambers of parliament for the first time

Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, which Prime Minister Ishiba leads, secured 47 seats in parliament, short of the 50 it needs for a majority.

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday stressed the need to establish a common understanding among parties on the pros and cons of cutting the country's sales tax rate. Cutting the sales tax could increase household income temporarily,