TOKYO >> Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pledged to take tougher measures against misuse of political funds after he was reelected by parliament Monday following a major loss in the polls last month by his governing coalition.

Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner Komeito together lost a majority in the 465-seat Lower House, the more powerful of Japan’s two-house parliament, in the Oct. 27 election. The defeat was blamed on outrage over financial misconduct by his party.

“We must remind ourselves of the basics that politics is for the people, as we tackle political and party reforms,” Ishiba said. He said that in response to the poor election results, “We must be able to have empathy for the pain, sorrow and anger of the people.”

— The Associated Press