| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Kokkai / National Diet |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Shugiin / House of Representatives |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Sangiin / House of Councillors
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
14 December 2014 |
| Purpose of elections |
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition - comprising his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito - retained its two-thirds majority in the early elections, taking a total of 325 seats in the 475-member House of Representatives (see note). The major opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), increased its share from 54 to 73 seats although its leader, Mr. Banri Kaieda, was not re-elected. Nippon Ishin no To (Japan Restoration Party, JRP), led by the Mayor of Osaka City, Mr. Toru Hashimoto, remained the third largest force, but reduced its share from 54 to 41 seats. The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) increased its share from eight to 21.
The 2014 snap elections were called by the Prime Minister to seek support for his economic policies. After an increase in the consumption tax in April from 5 to 8 per cent, GDP contracted sharply between July and September, and the Japanese economy entered into a recession. In late November, the Prime Minister announced that he would postpone a further increase in the consumption tax to 10 percent, initially planned for October 2015. Both the LDP and Komeito, led by Mr. Natsuo Yamaguchi, pledged to increase the consumption tax to 10 per cent in April 2017. Prime Minister Abe insisted that his economic policies, known as "Abenomics" (a combination of monetary easing, fiscal stimulus, and growth-oriented strategies) were "the only way" for Japan to overcome a two decades of deflation. The DPJ pledged "Farewell to Abenomics", promising to take measures against the over-depreciation of the yen. The JRP vowed to stop the planned raise in the consumption tax, promising to cover the shortfall in revenue through administrative reform. The JCP also pledged to halt the consumption tax increase, promising to increase the tax rate for the rich and big companies.
Note:
In accordance with the amendments to the Electoral law which came into effect in July 2013, the statutory number of members was reduced from 480 to 475. |
Date of previous elections: 16 December 2012
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 21 November 2014
Timing of election: Early elections
Expected date of next elections: December 2018
Number of seats at stake: 475 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: 1,191 (993 men, 198 women)*
*The total number of candidates excluding double-candidacy (candidates who ran under both the majority and proportional representation systems)
Percentage of women candidates: 16.6%
Number of parties contesting the election: 11
Number of parties winning seats: 8
Alternation of power: No
Number of parties in government: 2
Names of parties in government: Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 24 December 2014
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Nobutaka Machimura (Liberal Democratic Party) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 14 December 2014 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
103'962'785
54'735'787 (52.65%)
|
|
Notes
|
Statistics above refer to PR system. |
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Majority |
Proportional |
|
|
| Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) |
290
|
222 |
68 |
|
|
| Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) |
73
|
38 |
35 |
|
|
| Nippon Ishin no To (Japan Restoration Party) |
41
|
11 |
30 |
|
|
| Komeito |
35
|
9 |
26 |
|
|
| Japanese Communist Party (JCP) |
21
|
1 |
20 |
|
|
| Independents |
9
|
9 |
0 |
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (SDPJ) |
2
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
| Jisedai no To (Party for Future Generations) |
2
|
2 |
0 |
|
|
| Seikatsu no To (People's Life Party) |
2
|
2 |
0 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
430
45
9.47%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
House of Representatives (16.12.2014, 01.01.2017)
http://www.soumu.go.jp/senkyo/47sansokuhou/index.html
Note: One independent candidate-elect joined the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) after the elections, bringing the LDPs tally to 291 seats. |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
