A bad night for the ruling coalition could cost the prime minister his job and make it harder to strike a deal with Washington before the August tariff deadline.

By Junko Fujita and Kevin Buckland TOKYO (Reuters) -Heading into the most consequential Japanese upper house election in memory and a possible defeat for the coalition of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba,

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- The United States looks forward to working closely with Japan in a bilateral alliance that has "never been stronger," a State Department spokesperson said Sunday in the wake of the ruling coalition losing its upper house majority in a national election.

Political uncertainty grips Japan ahead of election Japan's Upper House election on 20 July represents a pivotal moment for the country's politic

While foreign nationals do not have the right to vote unless they naturalize, as residents they contribute to the economy, pay taxes and raise families in Japan. As electoral results could impact their lives, The Japan Times asked several foreign residents to weigh in. Interviews have been edited for brevity and clarity.

The Japanese yen strengthened despite political turbulence as Japan's ruling coalition lost its majority in the upper house. Prime Minister Ishiba's position is uncertain while investors focus on U.S.