2014 Japanese general election

none Japan parliamentary 2012 Japanese general election 2012 14 December 2014 2017 Japanese general election 2017 List of members of the House of Representatives of Japan, 2012–2014 List of members of the House of Representatives of Japan, 2014–2017 All 475 seats in the House of Representatives 238 52.65% (6.67pp; Const. votes)52.65% (6.66pp; PR votes) Constituency vote % and swing Regional vote % and swing Shinzō Abe 20120501 (cropped 2).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Shinzō Abe 26 September 2012 Yamaguchi 4th Liberal Democratic Party (Japan, pre-2017) 294 seats 295 291 3 25,461,449 48.10% (5.09pp) 17,658,916 33.11% (5.49pp) Banri Kaieda 201106.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Banri Kaieda 25 December 2012 Tokyo PRAt last election, Kaieda ran in Tokyo 1st district but lost, re-elected in Tokyo PR block(lost re-election) Democratic Party of Japan 57 seats 62 73 16 11,916,849 22.51% (0.30pp) 9,775,991 18.33% (2.84pp) Toru Hashimoto and Kenji Eda.png 130 120 160 0 0 Toru Hashimoto Kenji Eda 1 August 2014 Did not stand Japan Innovation Party (2014–2016) 54 seatsas Japan Restoration Party 42 41 13 4,319,646 8.16% (3.48pp) 8,382,699 15.72% (4.66pp) Natsuo Yamaguchi 2014.jpg 130 120 160 0 0 Natsuo Yamaguchi Did not standSits in the House of Councillors for the Tokyo at-large district 8 September 2009 Komeito 31 seats 31 35 4 765,390 1.45% (0.04pp) 7,314,236 13.71% (1.81pp) Kazuo Shii cropped.jpg 130 120 160 0 0 Kazuo Shii Southern Kanto PR 24 November 2000 Japanese Communist Party 8 seats 8 21 13 7,040,170 13.30% (5.42pp) 6,062,962 11.37% (5.20pp) Takeo Hiranuma0624 (cropped) 2.jpg 130 120 160 0 7 Takeo Hiranuma Okayama 3rd 1 August 2014 Party for Future Generations Did not exist 19 2 New 947,396 1.79% (New) 1,414,919 2.65% (New) 400px districts and PR districts, shaded according to winners' vote strength Prime Minister Shinzō Abe Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) Shinzō Abe Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) General elections were held in Japan on 14 December 2014. Voting took place in all Representatives constituencies of Japan including proportional blocks to elect the members of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the National Diet of Japan. As the cabinet resigns in the first post-election Diet session after a general House of Representatives election (Constitution, Article 70), the lower house election also led to a new election of the prime minister in the Diet, won by incumbent Shinzō Abe, and the appointment of a new cabinet (with some ministers re-appointed). The voter turnout in this election remains the lowest in Japanese history. Background In 2012, the Democratic Party government under Yoshihiko Noda decided to raise the Japanese consumption tax. This unpopular move allowed the Liberal Democratic Party under Shinzo Abe to regain control of the Japanese government in the 2012 Japanese general election. Abe proceeded to implement a series of economic programs known as "Abenomics" in a bid to stimulate the economy. Despite these programs, Japan entered a technical recession in mid-2014, which Abe blamed on the consumption tax hike, even though many members of the LDP supported the hike. Abe called a snap election on November 18, in part for the purpose of winning LDP backing to postpone the hike and pursue the Abenomics package.https://www.forbes.com/sites/mwakatabe/2014/11/20/election-with-a-cause-why-shizo-abe-must-call-general-election-now Election With A Cause: Why Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Must Call General Election Now Wakatabe Masazumi Forbes 2016-07-14https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/18/japan-calls-snap-election-shinzo-abe Japan calls snap election McCurry Justin 2014-11-18 the Guardian 2016-07-14 The LDP government was widely expected to win the election in a landslide, and many observers viewed the snap election as a mechanism for Abe to entrench his government at a time of relative popularity.http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/12/japan-unwanted-election-why-now-201412134515583764.html Japan's unwanted election: Why now? Boyd John www.aljazeera.com 2016-07-14 Under 2013 changes to the electoral law designed to reduce malapportionment, district boundaries in 17 prefectures were redrawn and five districts are eliminated without replacement (one each in Fukui, Yamanashi, Tokushima, Kōchi and Saga). The number of first-past-the-post seats is reduced to 295, the total number of seats decreases to 475.Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: 衆議院小選挙区の区割りの改定等について Opinion polls Parties' approval ratings from 2013 to 2014 (Source: NHK) Date LDP DPJ JRP PFG NKP YP PLP JCP SDP GW NRP UP JIP Oth. Und. NoAnswer Lead 5–7 December 38.1% 11.7% 0.1% 5.9% 0.3% 4.3% 0.9% 0.0% 3.7% 0.1% 26.3% 8.5% 11.8% 7–9 November 36.6% 7.9% 0.2% 2.2% 0.0% 0.0% 3.5% 0.6% 1.2% 0.1% 40.0% 7.7% 3.4% 11–13 October 40.2% 5.6% 0.1% 4.1% 0.5% 0.1% 3.3% 0.9% 1.4% 0.1% 35.0% 8.8% 5.2% 5–7 September 40.4% 5.4% 0.7% 0.1% 4.3% 0.0% 0.2% 3.3% 0.5% 0.1% 0.4% 36.9% 7.8% 3.5% 8–10 August 36.7% 6.4% 1.0% 0.3% 3.0% 0.2% 0.3% 3.2% 0.7% 0.0% 0.0% 39.4% 8.8% 2.7% 11–13 July 34.3% 4.8% 1.7% 3.6% 0.5% 0.3% 3.4% 0.9% 0.1% 0.3% 42.5% 7.6% 8.2% 6–8 June 36.9% 5.1% 1.1% 4.0% 0.4% 0.1% 2.8% 0.6% 0.0% 0.1% 42.4% 6.7% 5.5% 9–11 May 41.4% 5.6% 1.1% 3.7% 0.2% 0.3% 2.4% 0.9% 0.2% 0.1% 37.2% 6.9% 4.2% 11–13 April 38.1% 7.4% 1.3% 3.4% 0.9% 0.2% 3.6% 0.6% 0.1% 0.2% 37.2% 5.2% 0.9% 7–9 March 38.7% 6.5% 1.1% 2.2% 0.8% 0.1% 3.3% 0.8% 0.4% 0.1% 40.0% 5.2% 1.3% 7–9 February 36.2% 5.8% 1.3% 3.9% 1.1% 0.3% 3.3% 1.4% 0.5% 0.2% 41.0% 5.2% 4.8% 11–13 January 40.4% 5.8% 1.6% 2.8% 0.8% 0.1% 1.6% 0.7% 0.1% 0.3% 40.3% 5.5% 0.1% 2014 6–8 December 36.7% 7.8% 2.1% 2.8% 1.2% 0.2% 3.1% 0.6% 0.0% 38.7% 6.8% 2.0% 8–10 November 41.9% 5.2% 1.8% 4.4% 1.9% 0.3% 3.3% 0.4% 0.3% 35.1% 5.6% 6.8% 12–14 October 36.1% 5.2% 2.1% 3.8% 1.2% 0.2% 4.0% 0.5% 0.3% 41.8% 4.9% 5.7% 6–8 September 40.3% 5.5% 2.2% 4.4% 2.1% 0.0% 3.2% 0.7% 0.2% 34.6% 6.8% 5.7% 9–11 August 37.9% 7.3% 4.6% 4.6% 3.2% 0.2% 3.5% 0.8% 0.9% 30.8% 6.2% 7.1% 5–7 July 42.5% 8.0% 2.7% 5.3% 3.1% 0.5% 3.7% 0.9% 0.1% 0.0% 0.3% 24.5% 8.4% 18.0% 7–9 June 41.7% 5.8% 1.5% 5.1% 1.5% 0.1% 2.2% 0.4% 0.0% 0.0% 0.2% 34.6% 7.0% 7.1% 10–12 May 43.4% 5.3% 2.4% 3.7% 2.3% 0.3% 2.0% 1.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 33.3% 6.1% 10.1% 5–7 April 43.6% 6.1% 2.1% 3.7% 1.3% 0.4% 2.0% 0.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 34.5% 5.6% 9.1% 8–10 March 40.1% 7.0% 3.9% 4.4% 3.1% 0.3% 2.1% 0.6% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 31.8% 6.6% 8.3% 10–12 February 40.4% 7.0% 5.3% 3.1% 2.6% 0.3% 2.1% 0.8% 0.1% 0.0% 0.3% 31.7% 6.3% 8.7% 12–14 January 37.8% 7.6% 6.5% 4.0% 3.7% 0.5% 2.7% 0.8% 0.0% 0.0% 0.3% 30.8% 5.4% 7.0% 2013 Cabinet approval/disapproval ratings thumb|none|800px|Approval (blue) and Disapproval (red) Ratings for Second and Third Abe Cabinet Date PM Approval Disapproval 5–7 December Shinzo Abe 47% 38% 7–9 November Shinzo Abe 44% 38% 11–13 October Shinzo Abe 52% 34% 5–7 September Shinzo Abe 58% 28% 8–10 August Shinzo Abe 51% 33% 11–13 July Shinzo Abe 47% 38% 6–8 June Shinzo Abe 52% 32% 9–11 May Shinzo Abe 56% 29% 11–13 April Shinzo Abe 52% 31% 7–9 March Shinzo Abe 51% 30% 7–9 February Shinzo Abe 52% 33% 11–13 January Shinzo Abe 54% 31% 2014 21–22 Decemberhttp://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131224p2a00m0na009000c.html Approval rating for Abe Cabinet falls below 50% for 1st time since inauguration: Mainichi poll (in English) Mainichi Shimbun 24 December 2013 5 January 2014 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20140106041046/http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131224p2a00m0na009000c.html 6 January 2014 Shinzo Abe 49% 34% 6–8 December Shinzo Abe 50% 35% 8–10 November Shinzo Abe 60% 25% 12–14 October Shinzo Abe 58% 26% 6–8 September Shinzo Abe 59% 23% 9–11 August Shinzo Abe57% 29% 5–7 July Shinzo Abe 57% 25% 7–9 June Shinzo Abe 62% 20% 10–12 May Shinzo Abe65% 18% 5–7 April Shinzo Abe 66% 19% 23–24 Marchhttp://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/news/130225/plc13022511530006-n1.htm 【産経・ＦＮＮ合同世論調査】安倍内閣支持69・6%に上昇 鳩山内閣発足時を超える MSN産経ニュース 2013-03-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20130303075920/http://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/news/130225/plc13022511530006-n1.htm 2013-03-03 dead Shinzo Abe 69% 6% 9–10 MarchTBS/JNN Shinzo Abe 76% 22% 8–10 March Shinzo Abe 66% 18% 10–12 February Shinzo Abe 64% 20% 8–10 February内閣支持率71%、2回連続上昇...読売世論調査 Shinzo Abe 71% 18% 12–14 January Shinzo Abe 64% 22% 11–13 January Shinzo Abe 68% 24% 2013 Results Results of the 2014 Japanese general election List of members of the House of Representatives of Japan, 2014–2017 thumb|right|350px|Constituency Cartogram The LDP lost a small number of seats but slightly enlarged its majority coalition with Komeito. Turnout was a record low, and many voters viewed the election as a waste of time and money. DPJ president Banri Kaieda lost his seat in Tokyo while the Japanese Communist Party doubled in strength.https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-election-idUSKBN0JR0N920141215 Abe coalition secures big Japan election win with record low turnout 2014-12-15 Reuters 2016-07-14https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30444230 Japan election: Voters back Shinzo Abe as PM wins new term - BBC News BBC News 14 December 2014 en-GB 2016-07-14 The right-leaning Japan Innovation Party and Party for Future Generations lost seats.https://www.economist.com/news/21636467-shinzo-abe-wins-easily-weak-mandate-voters-romping-home Romping home The Economist 0013-0613 2016-07-14 File:2014 Japanese general election - composition chart.svg Proportional Constituency Liberal Democratic Party 17658916 68 25461449 223 291 −3 Democratic Party of Japan 9775991 35 11916849 38 73 +16 Japan Innovation Party 8382699 30 4319646 11 41 −13 Komeito 7314236 26 765390 9 35 +4 Japanese Communist Party 6062962 20 7040170 1 21 +13 Party for Future Generations 1414919 0 947396 2 2 New Party for Future Generations Social Democratic Party 1314441 1 419347 1 2 0 People's Life Party 1028721 0 514575 2 2 −7 People's Life Party Happiness Realization Party 260111 0 0 0 Shiji Seitō Nashi 104854 0 0 New New Renaissance Party 16597 0 0 0 Genzei Nippon 32759 0 0 New Future Party 4883 0 0 New Katsuko Inumaru and Republican Party 4668 0 0 0 World Economic Community Party 1416 0 0 0 Independents 1511242 8 8 +3 −5 1398283 1801562 103962785 103962784 Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications,衆 議 院 議 員 総 選 挙 ・ 最 高 裁 判 所 裁 判 官 国 民 審 査 結 果 調 https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000328960.pdf Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications CLEAhttps://electiondataarchive.org/data-and-documentation/clea-lower-chamber-elections-archive/ CLEA Lower Chamber Elections Archive The Elections Archive By prefecture PrefectureTotalseatsSeats wonLDPDPJJIPKomeiPFGPLPJCPSDPInd.Aichi15861Akita33Aomori44Chiba13112Ehime44Fukui22Fukuoka1111Fukushima5311Gifu55Gunma55Hiroshima761Hokkaido12831Hyōgo1271121Ibaraki7511Ishikawa33Iwate4121Kagawa321Kagoshima541Kanagawa18132111Kōchi22Kumamoto541Kyoto642Mie532Miyagi651Miyazaki33Nagano5311Nagasaki44Nara431Niigata651Ōita321Okayama541Okinawa41111Osaka199154Saga211Saitama151221Shiga44Shimane22Shizuoka862Tochigi541Tokushima22Tokyo2522111Tottori22Toyama33Wakayama321Yamagata33Yamaguchi44Yamanashi211Total2952233811922118 By PR block PR blockTotalseatsSeats wonLDPDPJJIPKomeiJCPSDPChūgoku1152121Hokkaido832111Hokuriku–Shinetsu1153111Kinki (Kansai)2994844Kyushu21833421Northern Kanto2084332Shikoku63111Southern Kanto2284433Tohoku1454221Tōkai2185332Tokyo1763323Total18068353026201 Notable losses The most high-profile LDP candidate to lose re-election is Agriculture Minister Koya Nishikawa, who lost by 199 votes (0.2%) to former Governor of Tochigi Akio Fukuda.http://www3.nhk.or.jp/senkyo/#skh_0902 NHK2014衆院選 NHK(Japan Broadcasting Corporation) He was questioned in October after allegedly receiving financial support from a fraudulent company.https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21627716-shinzo-abes-plan-raise-profile-women-his-cabinet-tatters-sukyandaru Sukyandaru: Shinzo Abe's plan to raise the profile of women in his cabinet is in tatters 25 October 2014 The Economist Amongst the DPJ members to lose their seats were party leader Banri Kaieda.http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/12/14/national/politics-diplomacy/abes-snap-election-pays-big-win/ Abe tightens grip on power as ruling coalition wins 325 seats in Lower House election The Japan Times 15 December 2014 Party for Future Generations leader Shintaro Ishihara was also unsuccessful in his attempt to win a seat after receiving a low position on his party's representative ballot. Former leader of the now-dissolved Your Party and six-term representative for Tochigi-3rd district Yoshimi Watanabe was also defeated.http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20141214p2g00m0dm033000c.html Ex-Your Party leader Watanabe, ex-Tokyo Gov. Ishihara to lose seats mainichi.jp dead https://web.archive.org/web/20141215022952/http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20141214p2g00m0dm033000c.html 2014-12-15 The JCP gained its first single-seat constituency seat since the 1996 election. Amidst a growing anti-base movement in Okinawa, JCP candidate Seiken Akamine unseated LDP incumbent Kōnosuke Kokuba in a night marked with a nationwide JCP surge.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/12/15/national/politics-diplomacy/resurgent-jcp-has-night-to-remember/ Resurgent JCP has night to remember Japan Times Mizuho Aoki 15 December 2014 11 December 2017 Aftermath In November 2015 the Grand Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that the inequality in vote weight due to malapportionment was still in an unconstitutional state (iken jōtai); however, as in previous such rulings, it dismissed the demand to invalidate the election.14年衆院選、1票の格差は「違憲状態」 最高裁大法廷 Nihon Keizai Shimbun, 25 November 2015 Supreme Court says December election 'in state of unconstitutionality,' but won't nullify results The Japan Times, 25 November 2015 Notes References External links Japan General Category:General elections in Japan General