2012 Japanese general election

none January 2026 September 2020 Japan parliamentary 2009 Japanese general election 2009 16 December 2012 2014 Japanese general election 2014 List of members of the House of Representatives of Japan, 2009–2012 List of members of the House of Representatives of Japan, 2012–2014 All 480 seats in the House of Representatives 241 59.32% (9.87pp; Const. votes)59.31% (9.88pp; PR votes) Constituency vote % and swing Regional vote % and swing Shinzō Abe 20120501 (with badge, cropped).jpg 130 120 160 4 0 Shinzō Abe Liberal Democratic Party (Japan, pre-2017) 119 seats 118 294 175 25,643,309 43.01% (4.33pp) 16,624,457 27.79% (1.06pp) Yoshihiko Noda 20110902 (retouched).jpg 130 120 160 4 0 Yoshihiko Noda Democratic Party of Japan 308 seats 230 57 251 13,598,774 22.81% (24.62pp) 9,268,653 15.49% (26.92pp) Shintarō Ishihara 2003.jpg 140 120 160 0 8 Shintaro Ishihara Japan Restoration Party Did not exist 11 54 New 6,942,354 11.64% (New) 12,262,228 20.50% (New) Natsuo Yamaguchi 2014.jpg 140 120 160 0 6 Natsuo Yamaguchi Komeito 21 seats 21 31 10 885,881 1.49% (0.38pp) 7,116,474 11.90% (0.45pp) Yoshimi Watanabe cropped 2 YoshimiWatanabeJI1.jpg 130 120 160 0 2 Yoshimi Watanabe Your Party (Japan) 5 seats 8 18 13 2,807,245 4.71% (3.84pp) 5,245,586 8.77% (4.50pp) Kada Yukiko 1-1 (cropped).jpg 130 120 160 0 4 Yukiko Kada Tomorrow Party of Japan Did not exist 61 9 New 2,992,366 5.02% (New) 3,423,915 5.72% (New) Kazuo Shii cropped.jpg 130 120 160 0 0 Kazuo Shii Japanese Communist Party 9 seats 9 8 1 4,700,290 7.88% (3.66pp) 3,689,159 6.17% (0.86pp) Mizuho_Fukushima_cropped.jpg 145 120 160 5 7 Mizuho Fukushima Social Democratic Party (Japan) 7 seats 5 2 5 451,762 0.76% (1.19pp) 1,420,790 2.36% (1.91pp) 400px Districts and PR districts shaded according to winners' vote strength Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda Democratic Party of Japan Shinzo Abe Liberal Democratic Party (Japan, pre-2017) General elections were held in Japan on 16 December 2012. The Liberal Democratic Party won a landslide victory, ejecting the Democratic Party from power after three years. It was the fourth worst defeat suffered by a ruling party in Japanese history. Voting took place in all representatives' constituencies of Japan including proportional blocks, in order to appoint Members of Diet to seats in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the National Diet of Japan. In July 2012, it was reported that the deputy prime minister Katsuya Okada had approached the Liberal Democratic Party to sound them out about dissolving the House of Representatives and holding the election in January 2013.http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120729002608.htm Okada eyes Jan. dissolution of lower house Yomiuri Shimbun 30 July 2012 Jiji Press 14 November 2012 An agreement was reached in August to dissolve the Diet and hold early elections "shortly" following the passage of a bill to raise the national consumption tax.https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/in-japan-too-new-taxes-levy-political-toll/2012/08/17/c41effb0-e6b6-11e1-8f62-58260e3940a0_story.html In Japan, new taxes levy political toll on Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda The Washington Post 18 August 2012 20 August 2012 Harlan, Chico Some right-wing observers asserted that as the result of introducing the consumption tax to repay the Japanese public debt,http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/handbook/c04cont.htm Statistics Bureau Home Page/Chapter 4 Finance 30 December 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20130105175153/http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/handbook/c04cont.htm 5 January 2013 deadhttp://www.nbr.org/research/activity.aspx?id=178 Japan's Debt Challengehttps://business.time.com/2011/04/06/a-hard-look-at-japans-debt-problem/ A hard look at Japan's debt problem Michael Schuman Time 6 April 2011 22 March 2018http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201205110051 Japan's national debt hits record 960 trillion yen - AJW by The Asahi Shimbun 30 December 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121102052451/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201205110051 2 November 2012 deadhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-04/japan-s-debt-sustains-a-deflationary-depression.html Bloomberg Japan's Debt Sustains a Deflationary Depression the DPJ lost around 75% of its pre-election seats.http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201212250101 UPDATE: Kaieda elected president of shattered DPJ - AJW by The Asahi Shimbun 28 December 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121231074337/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201212250101 31 December 2012 deadhttp://www.mansfieldfdn.org/backup/polls/pdf/martin_commentary.pdf Archived copy 28 December 2012 30 March 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120330184342/http://mansfieldfdn.org/backup/polls/pdf/martin_commentary.pdf dead Background The LDP had governed Japan for all but three years since 1955. However, in the 2009 election, the LDP suffered the worst defeat of a sitting government in modern Japanese history. Due to the characteristics of the Japanese election system, DPJ candidates won 308 seats in the House of Representatives (64.2% of seats), enabling Yukio Hatoyama to become prime minister. Since then, Japan had had two other prime ministers, Naoto Kan and Yoshihiko Noda. On 16 November, Noda dissolved parliament, thus allowing for a new election in a month's time, citing the lack of funds to carry on governmental functions and the need for an emergency budget. Dissatisfaction with the DPJ-led government and the former LDP-led government led to the formation of several grassroots movements, collectively known as the "third pole," to counter the two major parties.http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ed20121116a2.html Japan's 'third pole Japantimes.co.jp 2012-11-16 2012-12-20 The former Governor of Tokyo Shintarō Ishihara announced the renaming and reformation of the Sunrise Party on 14 November 2012; Ishihara co-lead the party with Takeo Hiranuma."New political party to be named 'Tachiagare Nippon' (Stand up Japan)" https://web.archive.org/web/20110605083908/http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/new-political-party-to-be-named-tachiagare-nippon-stand-up-japan 5 June 2011 On 17 November 2012 Mayor of Osaka Tōru Hashimoto and former Tokyo Governor Shintarō Ishihara announced the merger of the Japan Restoration Party and the Sunrise Party as a third force to contend the 16 December 2012 general election.Japan Today/Associated Press, "Ishihara, Hashimoto announce 'third force' in Japanese politics", Japan Today, 18 November 2012 It is Japan's first national political party that is based outside of Tokyo.Johnston, Eric, "Nippon Ishin no Kai: Local but with national outlook https://web.archive.org/web/20160126121910/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121003i1.html 26 January 2016 ", Japan Times, 3 October 2012, p. 3 On 23 November Mayor of Nagoya Takashi Kawamura, former state minister Shizuka Kamei and former farm minister Masahiko Yamada joined forces together to launch Tax Cuts Japan – Oppose TPP – Zero Nuclear Party as another "third pole" national political party.New Kawamura-led party joins election fray http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T121123002827.htm 28 November 2012 Yomiuri Shimbun 24 November 2012 On 28 November, the Governor of Shiga Yukiko Kada in Ōtsu announced the establishment of an anti-nuclear and gender equality focused party known as the Tomorrow Party of Japan, becoming the second national party based outside of Tokyo. Concurrently, the president of DPJ splinter group People's Life First, Ichirō Ozawa, dissolved the party, merging it into the Tomorrow Party. Tax Cuts Japan – Oppose TPP – Zero Nuclear Party and Japan Future Party attempted to merge with the aim of further countering the major and pro-nuclear parties.http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121128a1.html Shiga's Kada readies party; Ozawa joins Japantimes.co.jp 2012-11-28 2012-12-20 On 27 November Tax Cuts Japan – Oppose TPP – Zero Nuclear Party officially announced a merger with Tomorrow, with party co-leader Mashahiko Yamada saying, "We would also like to raise our hands in joining because our ways of thinking are the same."http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201211270050 2 Parties Merge With Japan Future Ajw.asahi.com 2012-12-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20121130031334/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201211270050 30 November 2012 dead Opinion polls Graph of poll results since 2009450px|center#FD7E00 Democratic#4DB56A Liberal Democratic#0067C0 New Komeito#EE0000 Communist#F9A1D0 Social Democratic#00A4E1 Your Party#A0A0A0 Others incl. NPN, PNP, NRP and SP#505050 No Party Source: NHK Parties' approval ratings from August to December 2009Date DPJ LDP NKP YP JCP SDP Other No Party Undecided 19–20 August(after GE) 42.0% 18.9% 2.2% 0.2% 1.2% 2.7% 2.0% 26.0% 4.3% 10–12 October 39.7% 16.7% 3.8% 0.2% 0.8% 3.0% 0.3% 29.1% 5.9% 6–8 November 37.7% 14.1% 3.8% 0.5% 1.6% 1.6% 0.3% 33.8% 6.3% 11–13 December 35.6% 17.1% 1.6% 0.2% 2.3% 1.2% 0.3% 34.6% 5.8% Parties' approval ratings from 2010Date DPJ LDP NKP YP JCP SDP Other No Party Undecided 9–11 January 34.9% 18.3% 3.3% 1.2% 1.9% 0.8% 0.6% 33.8% 5.2% 5–7 February 30.0% 18.2% 2.3% 1.2% 3.0% 1.1% 0.3% 37.6% 6.2% 5–7 March 25.8% 17.1% 2.7% 3.5% 2.1% 1.0% 0.5% 41.7% 5.6% 9–11 April 22.2% 16.1% 3.6% 2.9% 2.5% 1.1% 1.0% 44.4% 6.2% 5–7 May 20.8% 17.9% 3.0% 3.1% 2.2% 0.9% 1.8% 44.4% 7.0% 11–13 May(Before Kan) 30.7% 17.0% 3.8% 1.9% 2.8% 1.8% 1.2% 35.2% 5.7% 11–13 June 34.3% 15.8% 2.9% 2.7% 1.6% 1.5% 0.9% 32.7% 7.6% 17–19 July 29.8% 20.1% 3.2% 8.6% 2.7% 1.4% 0.7% 27.4% 6.1% 6–8 August 28.9% 19.5% 3.1% 7.4% 2.3% 0.7% 0.4% 30.4% 7.3% 18–20 September 36.2% 18.8% 3.2% 4.2% 1.5% 1.0% 0.5% 29.5% 5.2% 9–11 October 29.6% 21.5% 2.6% 4.2% 1.8% 1.0% 0.4% 33.6% 5.3% 5–7 November 24.1% 22.1% 3.3% 4.6% 2.9% 0.2% 0.7% 35.9% 6.2% 10–12 December 21.3% 22.6% 3.1% 3.2% 2.6% 1.2% 0.6% 39.0% 6.4% Parties' approval ratings from 2011Date DPJ LDP NKP JCP SDP YP Other No Party Undecided 8–10 January 21.9% 22.0% 2.9% 3.7% 1.8% 1.4% 0.3% 40.7% 5.3% 11–13 February 20.2% 21.7% 3.9% 2.9% 2.3% 1.0% 0.6% 42.1% 5.5% 15–17 April 19.2% 23.3% 2.8% 2.7% 2.2% 0.8% 0.4% 41.9% 6.7% 13–15 May 17.6% 22.6% 3.7% 1.8% 2.6% 0.7% 0.8% 45.2% 5.0% 10–12 June 20.4% 21.1% 4.5% 2.3% 1.4% 0.8% 0.3% 43.1% 6.0% 8–10 July 13.6% 23.4% 3.4% 2.8% 2.2% 1.0% 0.2% 46.2% 7.2% 5–7 August 16.4% 25.0% 3.0% 2.7% 2.7% 0.8% 0.4% 42.8% 6.3% 9–11 September 24.9% 19.1% 2.9% 1.7% 1.4% 1.0% 0.1% 44.1% 4.7% 8–10 October 22.6% 18.4% 4.1% 2.2% 1.9% 1.5% 0.3% 42.6% 6.4% 11–13 November 20.9% 20.4% 3.3% 2.9% 1.6% 1.1% 0.1% 42.9% 6.7% 9–11 December 16.9% 18.3% 3.4% 4.4% 1.8% 0.7% 0.8% 45.5% 8.3% Parties' approval ratings from 2012Date DPJ LDP NKP JCP SDP YP Other No Party Undecided 7–9 January 18.5% 18.3% 3.7% 2.7% 2.0% 0.7% 1.0% 46.1% 7.2% 10–12 February 17.6% 16.9% 3.1% 2.9% 1.6% 0.6% 0.8% 49.4% 7.2% 9–11 March 18.1% 17.2% 2.9% 2.9% 2.6% 1.1% 1.1% 48.7% 5.4% 6–8 April 16.7% 18.8% 2.8% 1.2% 2.2% 0.8% 1.5% 49.2% 6.8% 11–13 May 18.4% 19.9% 3.8% 1.1% 0.5% 2.2% 1.5% 47.1% 5.6% 8–10 June 16.9% 20.9% 2.4% 1.7% 0.3% 2.7% 1.3% 47.3% 6.6% 6–8 July 15.2% 19.8% 2.9% 1.7% 0.3% 1.1% 0.7% 52.0% 6.3% 10–12 August 14.3% 23.9% 3.0% 2.4% 0.1% 2.1% 0.9% 45.9% 6.6% 7–9 September 16.7% 20.1% 4.5% 1.9% 0.6% 1.3% 2.3% 45.2% 6.9% 6–8 October 13.8% 26.2% 2.8% 1.6% 0.4% 1.2% 3.4% 45.2% 5.4% 9–11 November12.7%25.0%3.0%2.0%0.5%1.2%3.0% 45.8%7.4% 7–9 December16.1%26.6%4.1%2.7%0.7%2.1%6.9% 33.5%7.4%Graph of the current Cabinet Approval/Disapproval Ratings450px|center Party polling for the 180 proportional seats Poll source Date(s)administered Undecided or declined DPJ LDP JRP PLF↓TPJ NKP JCP YP SDP Asahi Shimbun 15–16 November 2012 44% 16% 23% 6% 1% 3% 2% 2% 1% Yomiuri Shimbun 16–17 November 2012 43% 13% 22% 13% — — — — — Asahi Shimbun 17–18 November 2012 46% 15% 23% 16% — 4% — — — Kyodo News 17–18 November 2012 43% 10.8% 23% — — — — — — Yomiuri Shimbun 23–25 November 2012 — 10% 25% 14% 2% 6% — 2% — Kyodo News 24–25 November 2012 45% 8.4% 18.7% 10.3% 2% 4% — 3% — Asahi Shimbun 24–25 November 2012 41% 13% 23% 9% 2% 4% — 3% — https://archive.today/20130110171205/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-11-29/ldp-seen-retaking-power-in-japan-vote-that-risks-policy-gridlock Nikkei Business Daily 28 November 2012 — 13% 23% 15% 5% 4% — — — Kyodo News 1–2 December 2012 — 9.3% 18.4% 10.4% 3.5% 4.8% — — — Asahi Shimbun 1–2 December 2012 41% 15% 20% 9% 3% 4% 3% 3% 1% Yomiuri Shimbun 30 Nov.-2 Dec 2012 — 13% 19% 13% 5% — — 5% — NHK 7–9 December 2012 — 10% 21% 11% — — — — — Yomiuri Shimbun 7–9 December 2012 — 12% 29% 11% 3% — — — — Asahi Shimbun 8–9 December 2012 43% 14% 22% 8% 2% 5% 4% 2% — Kyodo News 12–13 December 2012 40% 11% 23% 10% — — — — — PM polling Poll source Date(s)administered 60x90px 60x90px 60x90px NodaDPJ AbeLDP IshiharaJRP Kyodo News 3–4 November 2012 29.3% 40% — Asahi Shimbun 15–16 November 2012 31% 33% — Yomiuri Shimbun 16–17 November 2012 31% 37% — Kyodo News 17–18 November 2012 32.1% 35% — Yomiuri Shimbun 23–25 November 2012 19% 29% 22% Kyodo News 24–25 November 2012 30% 33.9% — Yomiuri Shimbun 30 Nov.-2 Dec 2012 21% 28% — NHK 7–9 December 2012 19% 28% — Kyodo News 8–9 December 2012 31% 39% — Kyodo News 12–13 December 2012 29% 34% — Pre-election composition As of official announcement (kōji [=deadline for candidate registration, legal campaign start, start of early voting on following day]) on 4 DecemberYomiuri Shimbun: House of Representatives election 2012 – note that the government had lost its majority, already slim at the time of dissolution of the House of Representatives (16 November), due to further defections during the positioning of candidates for the election. ↓ 139 107 1 233 LDP & NKP Other opposition V Vacant Incumbent government (DPJ & PNP) Results Results of the 2012 Japanese general election thumb|right|350px|Constituency Cartogram File:2012 Japanese general election - composition chart.svg Proportional Constituency Liberal Democratic Party 16624457 57 25643309 237 294 +175 Japan Restoration Party 12262228 40 6942354 14 54 New Democratic Party of Japan 9628653 30 13598774 27 57 −251 New Komeito Party 7116474 22 885881 9 31 +10 Your Party 5245586 14 2807245 4 18 +13 Japanese Communist Party 3689159 8 4700290 0 8 −1 Tomorrow Party of Japan 3423915 7 2992366 2 9 New Social Democratic Party 1420790 1 451762 1 2 −5 New Party Daichi 346848 1 315604 0 1 0 Happiness Realization Party 216150 0 65983 0 0 0 New Renaissance Party 134781 0 0 0 People's New Party 70847 0 117185 1 1 −2 New Party Nippon 62697 0 0 −1 21st Century Japan Restoration Party 17711 0 0 New Natural Party 7831 0 0 New Ainu Party 7495 0 0 New Euthanasia Party 2603 0 0 New World Economic Community Party 1011 0 0 0 Independents 1006468 5 5 −1 0 59626568 1480081 2040970 103959866 103959866 Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, CLEA By prefecture PrefectureTotalseatsSeats wonLDPDPJJRPNKPYourTPJSDPPNPInd.Aichi15132Akita33Aomori44Chiba13112Ehime44Fukui33Fukuoka11101Fukushima541Gifu55Gunma55Hiroshima761Hokkaido12111Hyōgo12822Ibaraki7511Ishikawa33Iwate4121Kagawa321Kagoshima541Kanagawa1814112Kōchi33Kumamoto541Kyoto642Mie532Miyagi651Miyazaki33Nagano532Nagasaki44Nara431Niigata66Ōita33Okayama541Okinawa431Osaka193124Saga33Saitama151311Shiga44Shimane22Shizuoka862Tochigi541Tokushima33Tokyo2521211Tottori22Toyama33Wakayama321Yamagata321Yamaguchi44Yamanashi3111Total3002372714942115 By PR block PR blockTotalseatsSeats wonLDPJRPDPJNKPYourJCPTPJSDPNPDChūgoku115222Hokkaido831211Hokuriku–Shinetsu1143211Kinki (Kansai)2971034221Kyushu2174331111Northern Kanto206433211Shikoku62211Southern Kanto226542311Tohoku145231111Tōkai217442211Tokyo175332211Total18057403022148711 Aftermath thumb|Shinzo Abe is elected Prime Minister by the Diet, 26 December 2012. thumb|Following the Diet vote, Emperor Akihito appoints Abe as the Prime Minister at the Imperial Palace in Chiyoda Ward, Tōkyō Metropolis on 26 December 2012. Yoshihiko Noda, outgoing Prime Minister, watches on. As the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won 294 seats and their allies, the New Komeito Party, 31 seats, a coalition of the two parties would be able to form a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives, enabling them to overrule the House of Councillors. The significant swing back towards conservative politics was attributed to economic anxieties, including fear of falling behind China. Despite this landslide victory, Shinzo Abe acknowledged that his party won mainly because of voter antipathy towards the Democratic Party and not due to a resurgence in popularity for the LDP.https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/world/asia/conservative-liberal-democratic-party-nearing-a-return-to-power-in-japan.html?_r=0 Japan Election Returns Power to Old Guard Martin Fackler The New York Times 16 December 2012 17 December 2012LDP aware voters just punished DPJ http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121217a2.html Reiji Yoshida 17 December 2012 17 December 2012 The Japan Times The election was an unmitigated disaster for the Democratic Party, which lost three-quartersTwo-Party Japan Democracy Undone in 39 Months as DPJ Falls https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-16/two-party-japan-democracy-undone-in-39-months-as-dpj-crumbles.html 17 December 2012 17 December 2012 John Brinsley Isabel Reynolds Bloomberg of its 230 seats in the lower house to finish with just 57. In addition, seven members of the Cabinet lost their seats, the most ever in an election. Naoto Kan, who preceded Noda as prime minister, lost his constituency as well.LDP flattens DPJ in bruising return to power http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121217a1.html 17 December 2012 17 December 2012 The Japan Times Overall, this marked the worst performance by a ruling party in the post–World War II era. As a result, Yoshihiko Noda resigned from his post as party president. The Tomorrow Party of Japan, which formed shortly before the election, consisted mostly of incumbents defecting from the Democratic Party. Most of these incumbents were unseated, causing the party to lose 86% of its strength only weeks after forming. Both the Japan Restoration Party and Your Party emerged as viable players in the Diet, while the traditional left parties Social Democratic Party and Japanese Communist Party continued to decline in strength and relevance. The voter turnout of 59.3% was the lowest since World War II. Reactions and analysis The Liberal Democratic Party had campaigned on a tough stance on the Senkaku Islands dispute, leading to speculation as to how the new government would deal with the issue.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20747496 Japan election: LDP's Shinzo Abe vows tough China line BBC 16 December 2012 16 December 2012 Abe made his party's position clear immediately following the election, stating that "[their] objective is to stop the challenge" from China with regards to ownership of the islands.Japan election winner fires early warning to China https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/9748518/Japan-election-winner-fires-early-warning-to-China.html 16 December 2012 17 December 2012 Julian Ryall Chris Irvine The Daily Telegraph London The re-election of the liberal conservative LDP raised concern in foreign media that Japan's relations with its neighbours – China and South Korea – would become strained, given the past visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by LDP prime ministers, the party's perceived de-emphasis of Japan's war crimes committed during World War II and their intention to amend the country's pacifist constitution to give more power to the Self-Defense Forces.'The Senkaku islands are our territory': Japanese nationalists return to power in a landslide victory https://nationalpost.com/news/japan-election 16 December 2012 18 December 2012 National Post Associated PressRightwing revival raises regional dilemmas http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/267c22a2-477c-11e2-a899-00144feab49a.html#axzz2FHTqj1rD 16 December 2012 18 December 2012 Mure Dickie Financial Times LDP crushes rivals in Japanese poll http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/41186cb6-4735-11e2-8f03-00144feab49a.html#axzz2FHTqj1rD 16 December 2012 18 December 2012 Michiyo Nakamoto Mure Dickie Jonathan Soble Financial Times Abe was also in favor of retaining nuclear energy in the country.https://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-japan-conservatives-landslide-election-20121216,0,5391869.story Japan conservatives win landslide election victory Los Angeles Times Nagano, Yuriko Demick, Barbara 16 December 2012 16 December 2012 In response to the election, the Nikkei 225 Index increased by 1%, while the yen fell to ¥84.48 against the US dollar, the lowest rate in 20 months.Japan elections: Shares rise and yen weakens on Abe win https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20752215 17 December 2012 17 December 2012 BBC News Furthermore, the yield on 20-year Japanese government bonds (JCBs) rose to 1.710% a day after the election. This marked its highest level in nearly eight months.JGB 20-year yield hits 8-month high after Japan election https://www.reuters.com/article/markets-japan-jgbs-election-idUST9E8FR02H20121217 16 December 2012 17 December 2012 Reuters United States President Barack Obama spoke to Abe via telephone to congratulate him on the results of the general election, and discussed ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral security cooperation as well as deepening economic ties.https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/12/17/readout-president-s-call-liberal-democratic-party-president-shinzo-abe-j Readout of the President's Call with Liberal Democratic Party President Shinzo Abe of Japan 2012-12-17 National Archives whitehouse.gov 2012-12-18 Voiding of election On 25 March 2013, the Hiroshima High Court ruled the election unconstitutional and the results void due to "the disparity in the value of one vote", which was up to 2.43 time the maximum constitutionally allowed disparity in some districts.Yomiuri: Court rules lower house poll invalid / Vote disparity in Hiroshima 'too wide' (english)Hiroshima court rules Dec. election invalid over vote disparity http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130325p2g00m0dm062000c.html dead https://archive.today/20130413174128/http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130325p2g00m0dm062000c.html 13 April 2013 26 March 2013 The Mainichi The decision is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court,https://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2013/03/25/hiroshima-court-rules-election-invalid/ The Wall Street Journal Hiroshima Court Rules Election Invalid 25 March 2013 Toko Sekiguchi 22 March 2018 and, if upheld, new elections must be held. The Supreme Court had previously ruled that the electoral system was unconstitutional without invalidating election results. Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said that government would give electoral reform new thought and examine the situation carefully in order to respond in the appropriate manner. In November 2013, the Supreme Court ruled the election had been unconstitutional but declined to invalidate the results.Osaki Tomohiro Top court balks at voiding 2012 poll https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/11/20/national/top-court-balks-at-voiding-2012-poll/ The Japan Times 27 April 2026 en 20 November 2013 See also List of districts of the House of Representatives of Japan References External links Election results (NHK World) Detailed results (Yomiuri Shimbun) (Japanese) Japan Category:General elections in Japan General election General