What does Shinzo Abe's landslide victory do to more than 70 years of Japanese pacifism?

Shinzo Abe may become the man to break Japanese pacifism for the first time since World War II. (Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi/AP Photo)

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has won a snap election by a landslide margin, with his Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition with The Komeito Party winning more than two-thirds of the parliament's 465 seats.

It's important to note that although Abe's is a part the Liberal Democratic Party, the party has views similar to the conservative Republican Party in the United States.

The LDP seeks greater military strength while also holding true to more conservative views including the prevention of legalizing gay marriage in Japan.

This graphic illustrates the makeup of Japan's parliament following the 2014 election. Following Sunday, the LDP is estimated to have over 300 seats, while also adding partnering Komeito Party seats by their side.

Now that Abe's coalition has a "super-majority" of the parliament, there is likely to be a push to revise the Japanese constitution, perhaps shifting the island nation away from pacifism for the first time since World War II.

Following the end of WWII in 1945, the United States occupied and assisted Japan in its recovery from war, helping it construct its constitution which "contains language that bans the country from maintaining armed forces".

After winning the election he called for last month to address the "crises" facing Japan, Abe spoke at a press conference following his landslide victory.

"I will make sure the Japanese public is safe, and safeguard our nation," Abe said, also stating he would place "stronger pressure" on North Korea, who was the key reason why the snap election took place.

U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated Shinzo Abe following Sunday's election. The two are seen here shaking hands during Abe's visit to the U.S. in February 2017. (Photo/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet with PM Abe in Japan in November, where the Japanese leader will seek to discuss dealing with North Korea.

Although the snap election opens the gate to a greater Japanese military force, Abe explained he wishes to commence with tougher diplomacy first.

"My immediate task is to deal with North Korea," Abe told reporters at Sunday's press conference. "It will take tough diplomacy. With the mandate given by the people, I would like to exercise my command in diplomacy."

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Tokyo says Mr Abe's pledge of tough diplomacy with North Korea is rhetoric that would play well with the Japanese public, but it is unclear what it means in concrete terms.

Wingfield-Hayes also explained that given Japan's close partnership with the United States and strained relationship with North Korean neighbors China may lead to an increase in defense for Japan, while sticking closer to the U.S.

This isn't the first time Shinzo Abe has made changes in the Japanese constitution for military reasons, however. In 2015, the prime minister managed to push a ruling allowing Japanese troops to fight overseas under certain circumstances.

That legislative shift led to widespread protests in Japan.

Although Abe originally placed the deadline to revise the constitution in 2020, he called for the snap election following the "disarray" in the opposition party. The timing led to a poor showing for the center-left Constitutional Democratic Party and the further-left Party of Hope.

Following Sunday's election, Shinzo Abe could win another election next September that would allow him to become the longest-serving prime minister in post-war Japan.