But the loss of the 64-strong Komei is unlikely to be the end of his troubles.

ECONOMIST: The revenge of Japan��s old brigade

The Komei is expected to go its own way, after the formidable Soka Gakkai has had second thoughts about an outright merger.

ECONOMIST: The revenge of Japan��s old brigade

The Soka Gakkai's two dozen Komei members in the senior chamber would provide Mr Hashimoto with a handy margin for pushing through necessary reforms.

ECONOMIST: Japan

All eyes, however, have been on the Komei.

ECONOMIST: Japan

Nominally, Japan's slow moving political realignment has produced a kind of two party system, with the long-entrenched Liberal Democratic Party pitted against the New Frontier Party, which is made up mainly of dissidents from the LDP and the religious-based Komei party.

CNN: The Communists come back