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National Diet of Japan

国会

Kokkai
213th Session of the National Diet
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Houses
Leadership
Masakazu Sekiguchi, LDP
since 11 November 2024
Fukushiro Nukaga, LDP
since 11 November 2024
Shigeru Ishiba, LDP
since 1 October 2024
Structure
Seats
House of Councillors political groups
Government (142)
  •   LDP (115)
  •   Kōmeitō (27)

Opposition (92)

Unaffiliated (12)

Vacant (2)

  •   Vacant (2)
House of Representatives political groups
Government (221)

Opposition (242)

Unaffiliated (2)

Elections
Parallel voting:
Single non-transferable vote (147 seats)
Party-list proportional representation (98 seats)
Staggered elections
Parallel voting:
First-past-the-post voting (289 seats)
Party-list proportional representation (176 seats)
Last House of Councillors election
10 July 2022 (26th)
27 October 2024 (50th)
Next House of Councillors election
Before 25 July 2025 (27th)
No later than 22 October 2028 (51th)
Meeting place
National Diet Building,
Nagatachō 1-7-1, Chiyoda District, Tokyo, Japan
35°40′33″N 139°44′42″E / 35.67583°N 139.74500°E / 35.67583; 139.74500
Website
This article is part of a series on
Politics of Japan
Constitution and Laws
The Monarchy

Naruhito

Fumihito

Executive

Shigeru Ishiba (LDP)

Second Ishiba Cabinet
(LDP–Komeito coalition)
Legislature

Fukushiro Nukaga

  • Vice Speaker

Kōichirō Genba

Masakazu Sekiguchi

  • Vice President

Hiroyuki Nagahama
Judiciary

Saburo Tokura

Bank of Japan
  • Governor

Kazuo Ueda

Elections


Japanese general elections


Japanese House of Councillors elections


Unified local elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations
flag Japan portal

The National Diet (Japanese: 国会, Hepburn: Kokkai) is the national legislature of Japan. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives (衆議院, Shūgiin), and an upper house, the House of Councillors (参議院, Sangiin). Both houses are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally responsible for nominating the Prime Minister. The Diet was first established as the Imperial Diet in 1890 under the Meiji Constitution, and took its current form in 1947 upon the adoption of the post-war constitution. Both houses meet in the National Diet Building (国会議事堂, Kokkai-gijidō) in Nagatachō, Chiyoda, Tokyo.

Composition

For a more comprehensive list, see List of members of the Diet of Japan.
See also: Elections in Japan

The houses of the National Diet are both elected under parallel voting systems. This means that the seats to be filled in any given election are divided into two groups, each elected by a different method; the main difference between the houses is in the sizes of the two groups and how they are elected. Voters are also asked to cast two votes: one for an individual candidate in a constituency, and one for a party list. Any national of Japan at least 18 years of age may vote in these elections, reduced from age 20 in 2016.[1][2] Japan's parallel voting system (mixed-member majoritarian) is not to be confused with the mixed-member proportional systems used in many other nations. The Constitution of Japan does not specify the number of members of each house of the Diet, the voting system, or the necessary qualifications of those who may vote or be returned in parliamentary elections, thus allowing all of these things to be determined by law. However it does guarantee universal adult suffrage and a secret ballot. It also insists that the electoral law must not discriminate in terms of "race, creed, sex, social status, family origin, education, property or income".[3]

Generally, the election of Diet members is controlled by statutes passed by the Diet. This is a source of contention concerning re-apportionment of prefectures' seats in response to changes of population distribution. For example, the Liberal Democratic Party had controlled Japan for most of its post-war history, and it gained much of its support from rural areas. During the post-war era, large numbers of people were relocating to the urban centers in the seeking of wealth; though some re-apportionments have been made to the number of each prefecture's assigned seats in the Diet, rural areas generally have more representation than do urban areas.[4] The Supreme Court of Japan began exercising judicial review of apportionment laws following the Kurokawa decision of 1976, invalidating an election in which one district in Hyōgo Prefecture received five times the representation of another district in Osaka Prefecture.[5] In recent elections the malapportionment ratio amounted to 4.8 in the House of Councillors (census 2005: Ōsaka/Tottori;[6] election 2007: Kanagawa/Tottori[7]) and 2.3 in the House of Representatives (election 2009: Chiba 4/Kōchi 3).[8]

Candidates for the lower house must be 25 years old or older and 30 years or older for the upper house. All candidates must be Japanese nationals. Under Article 49 of Japan's Constitution, Diet members are paid about ¥1.3 million a month in salary. Each lawmaker is entitled to employ three secretaries with taxpayer funds, free Shinkansen tickets, and four round-trip airplane tickets a month to enable them to travel back and forth to their home districts.[9]

Powers

Article 41 of the Constitution describes the National Diet as "the highest organ of State power" and "the sole law-making organ of the State". This statement is in forceful contrast to the Meiji Constitution, which described the Emperor as the one who exercised legislative power with the consent of the Diet. The Diet's responsibilities include not only the making of laws but also the approval of the annual national budget that the government submits and the ratification of treaties. It can also initiate draft constitutional amendments, which, if approved, must be presented to the people in a referendum. The Diet may conduct "investigations in relation to government" (Article 62).

The Prime Minister must be designated by Diet resolution, establishing the principle of legislative supremacy over executive government agencies (Article 67). The government can also be dissolved by the Diet if the House of Representatives passes a motion of no confidence introduced by fifty members of the House of Representatives. Government officials, including the Prime Minister and Cabinet members, are required to appear before Diet investigative committees and answer inquiries. The Diet also has the power to impeach judges convicted of criminal or irregular conduct.[3]

In most circumstances, in order to become law a bill must be first passed by both houses of the Diet and then promulgated by the Emperor. This role of the Emperor is similar to the Royal Assent in some other nations; however, the Emperor cannot refuse to promulgate a law and therefore his legislative role is merely a formality.[10]

The House of Representatives is the more powerful chamber of the Diet.[11] While the House of Representatives cannot usually overrule the House of Councillors on a bill, the House of Councillors can only delay the adoption of a budget or a treaty that has been approved by the House of Representatives, and the House of Councillors has almost no power at all to prevent the lower house from selecting any Prime Minister it wishes. Furthermore, once appointed it is the confidence of the House of Representatives alone that the Prime Minister must enjoy in order to continue in office. The House of Representatives can overrule the upper house in the following circumstances:[12]

  • If a bill is adopted by the House of Representatives and then either rejected, amended or not approved within 60 days by the House of Councillors, then the bill will become law if again adopted by the House of Representatives by a majority of at least two-thirds of members present.[13]
  • If both houses cannot agree on a budget or a treaty, even through the appointment of a joint committee of the Diet, or if the House of Councillors fails to take final action on a proposed budget or treaty within 30 days of its approval by the House of Representatives, then the decision of the lower house is deemed to be that of the Diet.[13]
  • If both houses cannot agree on a candidate for Prime Minister, even through a joint committee, or if the House of Councillors fails to designate a candidate within 10 days of House of Representatives' decision, then the nominee of the lower house is deemed to be that of the Diet.
  • National Diet Building Interior
  • House of Representatives
    House of Representatives
  • House of Councillors
    House of Councillors
  • The waiting room adjacent to the Cabinet Room at the National Diet Building
    The waiting room adjacent to the Cabinet Room at the National Diet Building

Activities

Under the Constitution, at least one session of the Diet must be convened each year. Technically, only the House of Representatives is dissolved before an election. But, while the lower house is in dissolution, the House of Councillors is usually "closed". The Emperor both convokes the Diet and dissolves the House of Representatives but in doing so must act on the advice of the Cabinet. In an emergency the Cabinet can convoke the Diet for an extraordinary session, and an extraordinary session may be requested by one-quarter of the members of either house.[14] At the beginning of each parliamentary session, the Emperor reads a special speech from his throne in the chamber of the House of Councillors.[15]

The presence of one-third of the membership of either house constitutes a quorum[14] and deliberations are in public unless at least two-thirds of those present agree otherwise. Each house elects its own presiding officer who casts the deciding vote in the event of a tie. The Diet has parliamentary immunity. Members of each house have certain protections against arrest while the Diet is in session and arrested members must be released during the term of the session if the House demands. They are immune outside the house for words spoken and votes cast in the House.[16][17] Each house of the Diet determines its own standing orders and has responsibility for disciplining its own members. A member may be expelled, but only by a two-thirds majority vote. Every member of the Cabinet has the right to appear in either house of the Diet for the purpose of speaking on bills, and each house has the right to compel the appearance of Cabinet members.[18]

Legislative process

The vast majority of bills are submitted to the Diet by the Cabinet.[19] Bills are usually drafted by the relevant ministry, sometimes with the advice of an external committee if the issue is sufficiently important or neutrality is necessary.[20] Such advisory committees may include university professors, trade union representatives, industry representatives, and local governors and mayors, and invariably include retired officials.[19] Such draft bills would be sent to the Cabinet Legislation Bureau of the government, as well as to the ruling party.[19]

Building

Main article: National Diet Building

History

Further information: Political funding in Japan

Japan's first modern legislature was the Imperial Diet (帝国議会, Teikoku-gikai) established by the Meiji Constitution in force from 1889 to 1947. The Meiji Constitution was adopted on February 11, 1889, and the Imperial Diet first met on November 29, 1890, when the document entered into force.[21] The first Imperial Diet of 1890 was plagued by controversy and political tensions. The Prime Minister of Japan at that time was General Count Yamagata Aritomo, who entered into a confrontation with the legislative body over military funding. During this time, there were many critics of the army who derided the Meiji slogan of "rich country, strong military" as in effect producing a poor country (albeit with a strong military). They advocated for infrastructure projects and lower taxes instead and felt their interests were not being served by high levels of military spending. As a result of these early conflicts, public opinion of politicians was not favorable.[22]

The Imperial Diet consisted of a House of Representatives and a House of Peers (貴族院, Kizoku-in). The House of Representatives was directly elected, if on a limited franchise; universal adult male suffrage was introduced in 1925 when the Universal Manhood Suffrage Law was passed, but excluded women, and was limited to men 25 years or older.[23] The House of Peers, much like the British House of Lords, consisted of high-ranking nobles chosen by the Emperor.[24]

The first election by universal suffrage without distinction of sex was held in 1946, but it was not until 1947, when the constitution for post-war Japan came into effect, that universal suffrage was established In Japan.[25]

The word diet derives from Latin and was a common name for an assembly in medieval European polities like the Holy Roman Empire. The Meiji Constitution was largely based on the form of constitutional monarchy found in nineteenth century Prussia that placed the king not as a servant of the state but rather the sole holder of power and sovereignty over his kingdom, which the Japanese view of their emperor and his role at the time favoured.[26] The new Diet was modeled partly on the German Reichstag and partly on the British Westminster system. Unlike the post-war constitution, the Meiji constitution granted a real political role to the Emperor, although in practice the Emperor's powers were largely directed by a group of oligarchs called the genrō or elder statesmen.[27]

To become law or bill, a constitutional amendment had to have the assent of both the Diet and the Emperor. This meant that while the Emperor could no longer legislate by decree he still had a veto over the Diet. The Emperor also had complete freedom in choosing the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, and so, under the Meiji Constitution, Prime Ministers often were not chosen from and did not enjoy the confidence of the Diet.[24] The Imperial Diet was also limited in its control over the budget. However, the Diet could veto the annual budget. If no budget was approved, the budget of the previous year continued in force. This changed with the new constitution after World War II.[28]

The proportional representation system for the House of Councillors, introduced in 1982, was the first major electoral reform under the post-war constitution. Instead of choosing national constituency candidates as individuals, as had previously been the case, voters cast ballots for parties. Individual councillors, listed officially by the parties before the election, are selected on the basis of the parties' proportions of the total national constituency vote.[29] The system was introduced to reduce the excessive money spent by candidates for the national constituencies. Critics charged, however, that this new system benefited the two largest parties, the LDP and the Japan Socialist Party (now Social Democratic Party), which in fact had sponsored the reform.[30]

  • National Diet buildings
  • The First Japanese Diet Hall (1890–91)
    The First Japanese Diet Hall (1890–91)
  • National Diet Hiroshima Temporary Building (1894)
    National Diet Hiroshima Temporary Building (1894)
  • The Second Japanese Diet Hall (1891–1925)
    The Second Japanese Diet Hall (1891–1925)
  • National Diet Building (1930)
    National Diet Building (1930)
  • National Diet Building (2017)
    National Diet Building (2017)

List of sessions

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko seated in the Chamber of the House of Councillors of the National Diet, with members of the imperial family, the cabinet, and Prime Minister Naoto Kan giving the government's speech in front of the assembled members of parliament (2010)

There are three types of sessions of the National Diet:[31]

  • R – jōkai (常会), regular, annual sessions of the National Diet, often shortened to "regular National Diet" (通常国会, tsūjō Kokkai). These are nowadays usually called in January, they last for 150 days and can be extended once.
  • E – rinjikai (臨時会), extraordinary sessions of the National Diet, often shortened to "extraordinary National Diet" (臨時国会, rinji Kokkai). These are often called in autumn, or in the summer after a regular election of the House of Councillors (参議院議員通常選挙, sangiingiin tsūjōsenkyo) or after a full-term general election of the House of Representatives (衆議院議員総選挙, shūgiingiin sōsenkyo). Its length is negotiated between the two houses, it can be extended twice.
  • S – tokubetsukai (特別会), special sessions of the National Diet, often shortened to "special National Diet" (特別国会, tokubetsu Kokkai). They are called only after a dissolution and early general election of the House of Representatives. Because the cabinet must resign after a House of Representatives election, the National Diet always chooses a prime minister-designate in a special session (but inversely, not all PM elections take place in a special Diet). A special session can be extended twice.
  • HCES – There is a fourth type of legislative session: If the House of Representatives is dissolved, a National Diet cannot be convened. In urgent cases, the cabinet may invoke an emergency session (緊急集会, kinkyū shūkai) of the House of Councillors to take provisional decisions for the whole Diet. As soon as the whole National Diet convenes again, these decisions must be confirmed by the House of Representatives or become ineffective. Such emergency sessions have been called twice in history, in 1952 and 1953.[32]

Any session of the National Diet may be cut short by a dissolution of the House of Representatives (衆議院解散, shūgiin kaisan). In the table, this is listed simply as "(dissolution)"; the House of Councillors or the National Diet as such cannot be dissolved.

List of National Diet sessions[33]
Diet Type Opened Closed Length in days
(originally scheduled+extension[s])
1st S May 20, 1947 December 9, 1947 204 (50+154)
2nd R December 10, 1947 July 5, 1948 209 (150+59)
3rd E October 11, 1948 November 30, 1948 51 (30+21)
4th R December 1, 1948 December 23, 1948
(dissolution)		 23 (150)
5th S February 11, 1949 May 31, 1949 110 (70+40)
6th E October 25, 1949 December 3, 1949 40 (30+10)
7th R December 4, 1949 May 2, 1950 150
8th E July 21, 1950 July 31, 1950 20
9th E November 21, 1950 December 9, 1950 19 (18+1)
10th R December 10, 1950 June 5, 1951 178 (150+28)
11th E August 16, 1951 August 18, 1951 3
12th E October 10, 1951 November 30, 1951 52 (40+12)
13th R December 10, 1951 July 31, 1952 225 (150+85)
14th (ja) R August 26, 1952 August 28, 1952
(dissolution)		 3 (150)
– [HCES] August 31, 1952 August 31, 1952 [1]
15th (ja) S October 24, 1952 March 14, 1953
(dissolution)		 142 (60+99)
– [HCES] March 18, 1953 March 20, 1953 [3]
16th S May 18, 1953 August 10, 1953 85 (75+10)
17th E October 29, 1953 November 7, 1953 10 (7+3)
18th E November 30, 1953 December 8, 1953 9
19th R December 10, 1953 June 15, 1957 188 (150+38)
20th E November 30, 1954 December 9, 1954 10 (9+1)
21st R December 10, 1954 January 24, 1955
(dissolution)		 46 (150)
22nd S March 18, 1955 July 30, 1955 135 (105+30)
23rd E November 22, 1955 December 16, 1955 25
24th R December 20, 1955 June 3, 1956 167 (150+17)
25th E November 12, 1956 December 13, 1956 32 (25+7)
26th R December 20, 1956 May 19, 1957 151 (150+1)
27th E November 1, 1957 November 14, 1957 14 (12+2)
28th R December 20, 1957 April 25, 1958
(dissolution)		 127 (150)
29th S June 10, 1958 July 8, 1958 29 (25+4)
30th E September 29, 1958 December 7, 1958 70 (40+30)
31st R December 10, 1958 May 2, 1959 144
32nd E June 22, 1959 July 3, 1959 12
33rd E October 26, 1959 December 27, 1959 63 (60+13)
34th R December 29, 1959 July 15, 1960 200 (150+50)
35th E July 18, 1960 July 22, 1960 5
36th E October 17, 1960 October 24, 1960
(dissolution)		 8 (10)
37th S December 5, 1960 December 22, 1960 18
38th R December 26, 1960 June 8, 1961 165 (150+15)
39th E September 25, 1961 October 31, 1961 37
40th R December 9, 1961 May 7, 1962 150
41st E August 4, 1962 September 2, 1962 30
42nd E December 8, 1962 December 23, 1962 16 (12+4)
43rd R December 24, 1962 July 6, 1963 195 (150+45)
44th E October 15, 1963 October 23, 1963
(dissolution)		 9 (30)
45th S December 4, 1963 December 18, 1963 15
46th R December 20, 1963 June 26, 1964 190 (150+40)
47th E November 9, 1964 December 18, 1964 40
48th R December 21, 1964 June 1, 1965 163 (150+13)
49th E July 22, 1965 August 11, 1965 21
50th E October 5, 1965 December 13, 1965 70
51st R December 20, 1965 June 27, 1966 190 (150+40)
52nd E July 11, 1966 July 30, 1966 20
53rd E November 30, 1966 December 20, 1966 21
54th (ja) R December 27, 1966 December 27, 1966
(dissolution)		 1 (150)
55th S February 15, 1967 July 21, 1967 157 (136+21)
56th E July 27, 1967 August 18, 1967 23 (15+8)
57th E December 4, 1967 December 23, 1967 20
58th R December 27, 1967 June 3, 1968 160 (150+10)
59th E August 1, 1968 August 10, 1968 10
60th E December 10, 1968 December 21, 1968 12
61st R December 27, 1968 August 5, 1969 222 (150+72)
62nd E November 29, 1969 December 2, 1969
(dissolution)		 4 (14)
63rd S January 14, 1970 May 13, 1970 120
64th (ja) E November 24, 1970 December 18, 1970 25
65th R December 26, 1970 May 24, 1971 150
66th E July 14, 1971 July 24, 1971 11
67th E October 16, 1971 December 27, 1971 73 (70+3)
68th R December 29, 1971 June 16, 1972 171 (150+21)
69th E July 6, 1972 July 12, 1972 7
70th E October 27, 1972 November 13, 1972
(dissolution)		 18 (21)
71st (ja) S December 22, 1972 September 27, 1973 280 (150+130)
72nd R December 1, 1973 June 3, 1974 185 (150+35)
73rd E July 24, 1974 July 31, 1974 8
74th E December 9, 1974 December 25, 1974 17
75th R December 27, 1974 July 4, 1975 190 (150+40)
76th E September 11, 1975 December 25, 1975 106 (75+31)
77th R December 27, 1975 May 24, 1976 150
78th E September 16, 1976 November 4, 1976 50
79th E December 24, 1976 December 28, 1976 5
80th R December 30, 1976 June 9, 1977 162 (150+12)
81st E July 27, 1977 August 3, 1977 8
82nd E September 29, 1977 November 25, 1977 58 (40+18)
83rd E December 7, 1977 December 10, 1977 4
84th R December 19, 1977 June 16, 1978 180 (150+30)
85th E September 18, 1978 October 21, 1978 34
86th E December 6, 1978 December 12, 1978 7
87th R December 22, 1978 June 14, 1979 175 (150+25)
88th E August 30, 1979 September 7, 1979
(dissolution)		 9 (30)
89th S October 30, 1979 November 16, 1979 18
90th E November 26, 1979 December 11, 1979 16
91st R December 21, 1979 May 19, 1980
(dissolution)		 151 (150+9)
92nd S July 17, 1980 July 26, 1980 10
93rd E September 29, 1980 November 29, 1980 62 (50+12)
94th R December 22, 1980 June 6, 1981 167 (150+17)
95th E September 27, 1981 November 28, 1981 66 (55+11)
96th (ja) R December 21, 1981 August 21, 1982 244 (150+94)
97th E November 26, 1982 December 25, 1982 30 (25+5)
98th R December 28, 1982 May 26, 1983 150
99th E July 18, 1983 July 23, 1983 6
100th E September 8, 1983 November 28, 1983
(dissolution)		 82 (70+12)
101st S December 26, 1983 August 8, 1984 227 (150+77)
102nd R December 1, 1984 June 25, 1985 207 (150+57)
103rd E October 14, 1985 December 21, 1985 69 (62+7)
104th R December 24, 1985 May 22, 1986 150
105th (ja) E June 2, 1986 June 2, 1986
(dissolution)		 1
106th S July 22, 1986 July 25, 1986 4
107th E September 11, 1986 July 25, 1986 4
108th R December 29, 1986 May 27, 1987 150
109th E July 6, 1987 September 19, 1987 76 (65+11)
110th E November 6, 1987 November 11, 1987 6
111th E November 27, 1987 December 12, 1987 16
112th R December 28, 1987 May 25, 1988 150
113th E July 19, 1988 December 28, 1988 163 (70+93)
114th R December 30, 1988 June 22, 1989 175 (150+25)
115th E August 7, 1989 August 12, 1989 6
116th E September 28, 1989 December 16, 1989 80
117th R December 25, 1989 January 24, 1990
(dissolution)		 31 (150)
118th S February 27, 1990 June 26, 1990 120
119th E October 12, 1990 November 10, 1990 30
120th R December 10, 1990 May 8, 1991 150
121st E August 5, 1991 October 4, 1991 61
122nd E November 5, 1991 December 21, 1991 47 (36+11)
123rd R January 24, 1992 June 21, 1992 150
124th E August 7, 1992 August 11, 1992 5
125th E October 30, 1992 December 10, 1992 42 (40+2)
126th R January 22, 1993 June 18, 1993
(dissolution)		 148 (150)
127th S August 5, 1993 August 28, 1993 24 (10+14)
128th E September 17, 1993 January 29, 1994 135 (90+45)
129th R January 31, 1994 June 29, 1994 150
130th E July 18, 1994 July 22, 1994 5
131st E September 30, 1994 December 9, 1994 71 (65+6)
132nd R January 20, 1995 June 18, 1995 150
133rd E August 4, 1995 August 8, 1995 5
134th E September 29, 1995 December 15, 1995 78 (46+32)
135th E January 11, 1996 January 13, 1996 3
136th (ja) R January 22, 1996 June 19, 1996 150
137th E September 27, 1996 September 27, 1996
(dissolution)		 1
138th S November 7, 1996 November 12, 1996 6
139th E November 29, 1996 December 18, 1996 20
140th R January 20, 1997 June 18, 1997 150
141st E September 29, 1997 December 12, 1997 75
142nd R January 12, 1998 June 18, 1998 158 (150+8)
143rd (ja) E July 30, 1998 October 16, 1998 79 (70+9)
144th E November 27, 1998 December 14, 1998 18
145th R January 19, 1999 August 13, 1999 207 (150+57)
146th E October 29, 1999 December 15, 1999 48
147th R January 20, 2000 June 2, 2000
(dissolution)		 135 (150)
148th (ja) S July 4, 2000 July 6, 2000 3
149th E July 28, 2000 August 9, 2000 13
150th E September 21, 2000 December 1, 2000 72
151st R January 31, 2001 June 29, 2001 150
152nd E August 7, 2001 August 10, 2001 4
153rd E September 27, 2001 December 7, 2001 72
154th R January 21, 2002 July 31, 2002 192 (150+42)
155th E October 18, 2002 December 13, 2002 57
156th R January 20, 2003 July 28, 2003 190 (150+40)
157th E September 29, 2003 October 10, 2003
(dissolution)		 15 (36)
158th S November 19, 2003 November 27, 2003 9
159th R January 19, 2004 June 16, 2004 150
160th E July 30, 2004 August 6, 2004 8
161st E October 12, 2004 December 3, 2004 53
162nd R January 21, 2005 August 8, 2005
(dissolution)		 200 (150+55)
163rd (ja) S September 21, 2005 November 1, 2005 42
164th (ja) R January 20, 2006 June 18, 2006 150
165th (ja) S September 26, 2006 December 19, 2006 85 (81+4)
166th (ja) R January 25, 2007 July 5, 2007 162 (150+12)
167th (ja) E August 7, 2007 August 10, 2007 4
168th (ja) E September 10, 2007 January 15, 2008 128 (62+66)
169th (ja) R January 18, 2008 June 21, 2008 156 (150+6)
170th (ja) E September 24, 2008 December 25, 2008 93 (68+25)
171st (ja) R January 5, 2009 July 21, 2009
(dissolution)		 198 (150+55)
172nd (ja) S September 16, 2009 September 19, 2009 4
173rd (ja) E October 26, 2009 December 4, 2009 40 (36+4)
174th (ja) R January 18, 2010 June 16, 2010 150
175th (ja) E July 30, 2010 August 6, 2010 8
176th (ja) E October 1, 2010 December 3, 2010 64
177th (ja) R January 24, 2011 August 31, 2011 220 (150+70)
178th (ja) E September 13, 2011 September 30, 2011 18 (4+14)
179th (ja) E October 20, 2011 December 9, 2011 51
180th (ja) R January 24, 2012 September 8, 2012 229 (150+79)
181st (ja) E October 29, 2012 November 16, 2012
(dissolution)		 19 (33)
182nd (ja) S December 26, 2012 December 28, 2012 3
183rd (ja) R January 28, 2013 June 26, 2013 150
184th (ja) E August 2, 2013 August 7, 2013 6
185th (ja) E October 15, 2013 December 8, 2013 55 (53+2)
186th (ja) R January 24, 2014 June 22, 2014 150
187th (ja) E September 29, 2014 November 21, 2014
(dissolution)		 54 (63)
188th (ja) S December 24, 2014 December 26, 2014 3
189th (ja) R January 26, 2015 September 27, 2015 245 (150+95)
190th (ja) R January 4, 2016 June 1, 2016 150
191st (ja) E August 1, 2016 August 3, 2016 3
192nd (ja) E September 26, 2016 December 17, 2016 83 (66+17)
193rd (ja) R January 20, 2017 June 18, 2017 150
194th (ja) E September 28, 2017 September 28, 2017
(dissolution)		 1
195th (ja) S November 1, 2017 December 9, 2017 39
196th (ja) R January 22, 2018 July 22, 2018 182 (150+32)
197th (ja) E October 24, 2018 December 10, 2018 48
198th (ja) R January 28, 2019 June 26, 2019 150
199th (ja) E August 1, 2019 August 5, 2019 5
200th (ja) E October 4, 2019 December 9, 2019 67
201st (ja) R January 20, 2020 June 17, 2020 150
202nd (ja) E September 16, 2020 September 18, 2020 3
203rd (ja) E October 26, 2020 December 5, 2020 41
204th (ja) R January 18, 2021 June 16, 2021 150
205th (ja) E October 4, 2021 October 14, 2021
(dissolution)		 11
206th (ja) S November 10, 2021 November 12, 2021 3
207th (ja) E December 6, 2021 December 21, 2021 16
208th (ja) R January 17, 2022 June 15, 2022 150
209th (ja) E August 3, 2022 August 5, 2022 3
210th (ja) E October 3, 2022 December 10, 2022 69
211th (ja) R January 23, 2023 June 21, 2023 150

List of House of Representatives general elections

19th century

Election Date Elected prime minister
(during term) 		Turnout Seats Date of
dissolution (D) /
expiration of term (E) 		Registered
voters 		Majority party Seats Share Monarch
(Reign)
Imperial Diet (1890–1947); upper house: House of Peers Emperor
Meiji
(1867–1912)
1890 1 July 1890 Yamagata Aritomo 93.91% 300 450,872 Constitutional Liberal 130 43.33%
(Matsukata Masayoshi)
1892 15 February 1892 Matsukata Masayoshi 91.59% (D) December 25, 1891 434,594 094 31.33%
(Itō Hirobumi)
Mar. 1894 March 1, 1894 Itō Hirobumi 88.76% (D) December 30, 1893 440,113 120 40.00%
Sep. 1894 1 September 1894 Itō Hirobumi 84.84% (D) June 2, 1894 460,483 107 35.66%
(Matsukata Masayoshi)
(Itō Hirobumi)
Mar. 1898 15 March 1898 Itō Hirobumi 87.50% (D) December 25, 1897 452,637 105 35.00%
(Ōkuma Shigenobu)
Aug. 1898 10 August 1898 Ōkuma Shigenobu 79.91% (D) June 10, 1898 502,292 Kensei Hontō 124 41.33%
(Yamagata Aritomo)
(Itō Hirobumi)
(Katsura Tarō)
Election Date Elected prime minister
(during term) 		Turnout Seats Date of dissolution (D) /
expiration of term (E) 		Registered
voters 		Majority party Seats Share Monarch
(Reign)

20th century

Election Date Elected prime minister
(during term) 		Turnout Seats Date of
dissolution (D) /
expiration of term (E) 		Registered
voters 		Majority party Seats Share Monarch
(Reign)
1902 August 10, 1902 Katsura Tarō 88.39% 376 (E) August 9, 1902 982,868 Rikken Seiyūkai 191 50.79% Emperor
Meiji
(1867–1912)
1903 March 1, 1903 86.17% (D) December 28, 1902 958,322 175 46.54%
1904 1 March 1904 Katsura Tarō 86.06% 379 (D) December 11, 1903 762,445 133 35.09%
(Saionji Kinmochi)
1908 15 May 1908 Saionji Kinmochi 85.29% (E) March 27, 1908 1,590,045 187 49.34%
(Katsura Tarō)
(Saionji Kinmochi)
1912 15 May 1912 Saionji Kinmochi 89.58% 381 (E) May 14, 1912 1,506,143 209 54.85%
(Katsura Tarō)
(Yamamoto Gonnohyōe)
(Ōkuma Shigenobu)
1915 25 March 1915 Ōkuma Shigenobu 92.13% (D) December 25, 1914 1,546,411 Rikken Dōshikai 153 40.15% Emperor
Taishō
(1912–1926)
(Terauchi Masatake)
1917 20 April 1917 Terauchi Masatake 91.92% (D) January 25, 1917 1,422,126 Rikken Seiyūkai 165 43.30%
(Hara Takashi)
1920 10 May 1920 Hara Takashi 86.73% 464 (D) February 26, 1920 3,069,148 278 59.91%
(Takahashi Korekiyo)
(Katō Tomosaburō)
(Yamamoto Gonnohyōe)
(Kiyoura Keigo)
1924 10 May 1924 Katō Takaaki 91.18% (D) January 31, 1924 3,288,405 Kenseikai 151 32.54%
(Wakatsuki Reijirō)
(Tanaka Giichi)
1928 20 February 1928 Tanaka Giichi 80.36% 466 (D) January 21, 1928 12,408,678 Rikken Seiyūkai 218 46.78% Emperor
Shōwa
(1926–1989)
(Hamaguchi Osachi)
1930 20 February 1930 Hamaguchi Osachi 83.34% (D) January 21, 1930 12,812,895 Rikken Minseitō 273 58.58%
(Wakatsuki Reijirō)
(Inukai Tsuyoshi)
1932 20 February 1932 Inukai Tsuyoshi 81.68% (D) January 21, 1932 13,237,841 Rikken Seiyukai 301 64.59%
(Saitō Makoto)
(Keisuke Okada)
1936 20 February 1936 Kōki Hirota 78.65% (D) January 21, 1936 14,479,553 Rikken Minseitō 205 43.99%
(Senjūrō Hayashi)
1937 30 April 1937 Senjūrō Hayashi 73.31% (D) March 31, 1937 14,618,298 179 38.41%
(Fumimaro Konoe)
(Hiranuma Kiichirō)
(Nobuyuki Abe)
(Mitsumasa Yonai)
(Fumimaro Konoe)
(Fumimaro Konoe)
(Hideki Tojo)
1942 30 April 1942 Hideki Tojo 83.16% (E) April 29, 1942 14,594,287 Imperial Rule Assistance Association 381 81.75%
(Kuniaki Koiso)
(Kantarō Suzuki)
(Kantarō Suzuki)
(Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni)
(Kijūrō Shidehara)
1946 April 10, 1946 Shigeru Yoshida 72.08% (D) December 18, 1945 36,878,420 Liberal 141 30.25%
1947 25 April 1947 Tetsu Katayama 67.95% (D) March 31, 1947 40,907,493 Socialist 143 30.68%
(Hitoshi Ashida)
(Shigeru Yoshida)
National Diet (1947–present); upper house: House of Councillors
1949 23 January 1949 Shigeru Yoshida 74.04% 466 (D) December 23, 1948 42,105,300 Democratic Liberal 264 56.65%
(Shigeru Yoshida)
1952 October 1, 1952 Shigeru Yoshida 76.43% (D) August 28, 1952 46,772,584 Liberal 240 51.50%
1953 19 April 1953 Shigeru Yoshida 74.22% (D) March 14, 1953 47,090,167 Liberal
Yoshida faction 		199 42.70%
(Ichirō Hatoyama)
1955 27 February 1955 Ichirō Hatoyama 75.84% 467 (D) January 24, 1955 49,235,375 Democratic 185 39.61%
(Ichirō Hatoyama)
(Tanzan Ishibashi)
(Nobusuke Kishi)
1958 22 May 1958 Nobusuke Kishi 76.99% (D) April 25, 1958 52,013,529 Liberal Democratic 287 61.45%
(Hayato Ikeda)
1960 November 20, 1960 Hayato Ikeda 73.51% (D) October 24, 1960 54,312,993 296 63.38%
1963 21 November 1963 Hayato Ikeda 71.14% (D) October 23, 1963 58,281,678 283 60.59%
(Eisaku Satō)
1967 January 29, 1967 Eisaku Satō 73.99% 486 (D) December 27, 1966 62,992,796 277 56.99%
1969 27 December 1969 Eisaku Satō 68.51% (D) December 2, 1969 69,260,424 288 59.25%
(Kakuei Tanaka)
1972 10 December 1972 Kakuei Tanaka 71.76% 491 (D) November 13, 1972 73,769,636 271 55.19%
(Takeo Miki)
1976 5 December 1976 Takeo Fukuda 73.45% 511 (E) December 9, 1976 77,926,588 249 48.72%
(Masayoshi Ōhira)
1979 October 7, 1979 Masayoshi Ōhira 68.01% (D) September 7, 1979 80,169,924 248 48.53%
1980 22 June 1980 Zenkō Suzuki 74.57% (D) May 19, 1980 80,925,034 284 55.57%
(Yasuhiro Nakasone)
1983 December 18, 1983 Yasuhiro Nakasone 67.94% (D) November 28, 1983 84,252,608 Liberal Democratic
(LDP-NLC coalition) 		250 48.92%
1986 2 June 1986 Yasuhiro Nakasone 71.40% 512 (D) June 2, 1986 86,426,845 Liberal Democratic 300 58.59%
(Noboru Takeshita)
(Sōsuke Uno)
(Toshiki Kaifu)
1990 18 February 1990 Toshiki Kaifu 73.31% (D) January 24, 1990 90,322,908 275 53.71% Emperor
Akihito
(Heisei)
(1989–2019)
(Kiichi Miyazawa)
1993 18 July 1993 Morihiro Hosokawa 67.26% 511 (D) June 18, 1993 94,477,816 Liberal Democratic
(JNP-JRP–JSP-Komeito–DSP-NPS-SDF coalition:
1993–1994,
JRP–Komeito–JNP-DSP-Liberal Reform League coalition:
1994,
LDP-JSP-NPS coalition
since 1994) 		223 43.63%
(Tsutomu Hata)
(Tomiichi Murayama)
(Ryūtarō Hashimoto)
1996 20 October 1996 Ryūtarō Hashimoto 59.65% 500 (D) September 27, 1996 97,680,719 Liberal Democratic
(LDP-JSP/SDP-NPS coalition:
1996,
LDP-Liberal coalition:
1999,
LDP-Komeito-Liberal/NCP coalition:
1999–2000,
LDP-Komeito-NCP coalition:
2000) 		239 47.80%
(Keizō Obuchi)
(Yoshirō Mori)
2000 25 June 2000 Yoshirō Mori 62.49% 480 (D) June 2, 2000 100,492,328 Liberal Democratic
(LDP-Komeito-NCP coalition) 		233 48.54%
(Junichiro Koizumi)
Election Date Elected prime minister
(during term) 		Turnout Seats Date of
dissolution (D) /
expiration of term (E) 		Registered
voters 		Majority party Seats Share Monarch
(Reign)

21st century

Election Date Elected prime minister
(during term) 		Turnout Seats Date of
dissolution (D) /
expiration of term (E) 		Registered
voters 		Majority party Seats Share Monarch
(Reign)
2003 November 9, 2003 Junichiro Koizumi 59.86% 480 (D) October 10, 2003 102,306,684 Liberal Democratic
(LDP-Komeito coalition) 		237 49.37% Emperor
Akihito
(Heisei)
(1989–2019)
2005 11 September 2005 Junichiro Koizumi 67.51% (D) August 8, 2005 103,067,966 296 61.66%
(Shinzo Abe)
(Yasuo Fukuda)
(Tarō Asō)
2009 30 August 2009 Yukio Hatoyama 69.28% (D) July 21, 2009 104,057,361 Democratic
(DPJ-PNP-SDP coalition:
2009–2010,
DPJ-PNP coalition:
2010–2012) 		308 64.16%
(Naoto Kan)
(Yoshihiko Noda)
2012 December 16, 2012 Shinzo Abe 59.32% (D) November 16, 2012 103,959,866 Liberal Democratic
(LDP-Komeito coalition) 		294 61.25%
2014 December 14, 2014 52.66% 475 (D) November 21, 2014 104,067,104 291 61.26%
2017 22 October 2017 Shinzo Abe 53.68% 465 (D) September 28, 2017 106,091,229 284 61.08%
(Yoshihide Suga)
(Fumio Kishida)
2021 October 31, 2021 Fumio Kishida 55.93% (D) October 14, 2021 105,622,758 261 56.12% Emperor
Naruhito
(Reiwa)
(2019–present)
Election Date Elected prime minister
(during term) 		Turnout Seats Date of
dissolution (D) /
expiration of term (E) 		Registered
voters 		Majority party Seats Share Monarch
(Reign)

List of House of Councillors regular elections

20th century

21st century

See also

Notes

  1. ^
  2. ^
    •   DPFP (9)
    •   Independent (1)
  3. ^
    •   LDP (1/Speaker)
    •   CDP (1/Vice Speaker)
    •   Independent (9)
  4. ^
    •   LDP (191)
    •   Independent (6)
  5. ^
  6. ^
    •   Independent (4)
  7. ^
    •   LDP (1/Speaker)
    •   CDP (1/Vice Speaker)
    •   Independent (2)

References

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  3. ^ a b National Diet Library. Constitution of Japan Archived October 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Published 1947. Retrieved July 15, 2007.
  4. ^ U.S. Library of Congress Country Studies Japan – Electoral System Archived October 12, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 8, 2007.
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  7. ^ nikkei.net, September 29, 2009: １票の格差、大法廷30日判決　07年参院選4.86倍 Retrieved December 17, 2009.
  8. ^ Asahi Shimbun, August 18, 2009: 有権者９８万人増　「一票の格差」２．３倍に拡大 Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved December 17, 2002.
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  11. ^ Asia Times Online Japan: A political tsunami approaches. By Hisane Masaki. Published July 6, 2007. Retrieved July 15, 2007.
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  17. ^ "Judgments of the Supreme Court Case Number 1978 (O) 1240". Supreme Court of Japan. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
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