Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and allies failed to win outright the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election on Sunday, which could have a significant bearing on the upcoming general election.

The general election must be held before the current four-year term of lower house members ends on October 21.

Public broadcaster NHK said the LDP had won 33 seats in Tokyo's 127-member assembly, just ahead of Tokyoites First Party (Tomin First no Kai), founded by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, with 31 seats.

Even with 23 won by its junior Komeito coalition ally, LDP fell short of an outright majority – a target that had been considered within reach.

The disappointing result could put pressure on Suga, whose term as LDP president expires at the end of September.

Tokyo's election came as the capital is preparing to host the Olympic Games whilst dealing with a resurgence of COVID-19 infections. Voters on Sunday said COVID-19 pandemic remained their chief concern.

In the election campaign, Tokyoites First Party called for the Olympics to be held without spectators while the LDP and Komeito pledged to hold a safe and secure Games. Suga reiterated that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics would take place this summer despite rising concerns over the pandemic.

In the upcoming bout and among other parties vying to secure seats, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) will be calling for the Olympics to be cancelled or postponed again due to the risk of coronavirus further spreading and new virus variants possibly coming from overseas and wreaking havoc on the capital and wider Japan.

The Japanese Communist Party (JCP), for its part, is pushing for the Games to be cancelled outright.

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In 2017, the LDP suffered a heavy defeat in the election, securing a mere 23 assembly seats compared to the 57 seats it held previously.

COVID-19 cases have been rising in Japan since a state of emergency was lifted last month and replaced with softer restrictions that are set to expire on July 11.

Meanwhile, Japan is making arrangements for its COVID-19 vaccination passports to be accepted by over 10 nations, including Italy, France and Greece, after the certificate program begins in late July, Japan Times reported.