Japanese election Result:Shinzo Abe declares victory, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan's upper house election, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Abenomics, Japan Election Result 2016

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has declared victory in Sunday's election, with his ruling coalition winning a majority of seats in Japan's upper house.

Abe said Monday he would use his victory to push forward with his economic reform program — also known as Abenomics — along with further changes to his diplomatic policies.

Together with the pro-constitutional revisionists, his coalition has gained a two-thirds majority of the 121-seat upper house.

Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) fell short of winning a simple majority, which would have increased its clout within the coalition. Earlier projections had shown it was within their grasp for the first time since 1989.

Nevertheless, the overall victory will still bolster Abe’s grip over the conservative party that he led back to power in 2012 promising to reboot the economy with hyper-easy monetary policy, fiscal spending and reforms.

Any attempt to revise the constitution will still be politically fraught and LDP heavyweights have suggested that amending the pacifist Article 9 would not be the first priority.

Abe told a TV broadcaster it was too early to talk about specific revisions to the constitution and his No.2 in the party said separately that talks with the opposition were needed.

“I have two more years to my term (as LDP president) and this is a goal of the LDP, so I want to address it calmly,” Abe said.

Controversial issue

The result will also allow Abe to take a step forward toward constitutional amendments, a controversial issue that has divided the nation.

In Japan, war is banned. Since the end of World War II, Japan's constitution has renounced the threat or use of force. War as a means to settle international disputes is outlawed, according to Article 9 of the constitution.

The military can only be used for defensive purposes.

The rise of China's military and its expansionism in the South and East China Seas, together with North Korea's increasing belligerence, is helping Abe's push.

It's still a very sensitive subject in Japan, but attitudes could be changing. Exit polls on Sunday showed 49% of voters supported revising the constitution. Forty-four percent were against it.

The vote came just days before the United Nations rules on China's highly controversial territorial claims in the South China Sea.