Tokyo, Oct 23 (IANS): Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has lost one of the two crucial parliamentary by-elections, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet whose approval ratings have recently plunged to the lowest levels since he assumed power amid price hikes and sluggish wage growth.

An independent candidate backed by opposition parties won in the House of Councillors by-election in the Tokushima-Kochi district, while in the Nagasaki No. 4 House of Representatives constituency, the LDP candidate defeated a politician of the leading opposition party, reports Xinhua news agency.

The LDP party had the both contested seats before the elections.

The outcomes possibly make it difficult for Kishida to dissolve the House of Representatives, the lower house, for a general election by the end of this year, according to local media reports.

There had been speculation that Kishida would dissolve the lower house and call a general election by the end of this year if the LDP retained both seats.

But the results of Sunday's polls make that more difficult, Kyodo News reported.

The by-elections, both head-to-head battles between the ruling and opposition sides, were the first national contests since Kishida reshuffled his cabinet in mid-September in a bid to refresh the image of his government.