Justice Minister Keiko Chiba lost her Upper House seat Sunday, the most high-profile casualty in the Democratic Party of Japan's dismal showing, while three other ministers were re-elected.
Chiba, 62, who was bidding for her fifth term in the chamber, lost to Liberal Democratic Party rival Akio Koizumi, 64, Your Party newcomer Kenji Nakanishi, 46, and another DPJ incumbent, Yoichi Kaneko, 48, in the three-seat Kanagawa district.