Tokyo | Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to stay on as Japanese prime minister to ensure stability amid a scramble to form new coalitions, after voters stripped his long-standing ruling party of its majority for the first time in 15 years.

A slush-fund scandal and economic woes hammered support for Mr Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party and ruling coalition partner Komeito in a snap general election on Sunday, leaving them short of the 233 seats needed for a majority in the lower house.