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Election Profile:

Flag of Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Official Name: Japan
  • Election Type: Parliamentary
  • Date: September 11, 2005
Source for election date

At stake in this election:

  • 480 seats in the House of Representatives (Shugi-in)

Description of government structure:

  • Chief of State: Emperor AKIHITO
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI
  • Assembly: Japan has a bicameral Diet (Kokkai) consisting of the House of Councillors (Sangi-in) with 242 seats and the House of Representatives (Shugi-in) with 480 seats.

Description of electoral system:

  • The Emperor is N/A N/A.
  • In the House of Councillors (Sangi-in), 144 members are elected in multi-member constituencies to serve 6-year terms and 98 members are elected by proportional representation to serve 6-year terms. In the House of Representatives (Shugi-in), 300 members are elected in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms and 180 members are elected by proportional representation to serve 4-year terms.**

** 180 members by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs.

Main parties in the electoral race:

  • Party: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) / Jiyuminshuto
    Leader: Junichiro KOIZUMI
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 296
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 237
  • Party: Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) / Minshuto
    Leader: Katsuya OKADA
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 113
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 117
  • Party: New Clean Government Party / New Komeito
    Leader: Takenori KANZAKI
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 31
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 34
  • Party: Japan Communist Party (JCP) / Nihon Kyosanto
    Leader: Kazuo SHII
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 9
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 9
  • Party: Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDP) / Shakai Minshuto
    Leader: Mizuho FUKUSHIMA
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 7
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 6
  • Party: People's New Party / Kokumin Shinto******
    Leader: Tamisuke WATANUKI
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 4
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: N/A
  • Party: New Party Japan / Shinto Nippon
    Leader: Yasuo TANAKA
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 1
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: N/A
  • Party: New Party, Big Land / Shinto Daichi
    Leader: Muneo SUZUKI
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 1
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: N/A

****** Party: Leader: Seats won in this election: 4 Seats won in last election: NA

Last Parliamentary election:

  • The last parliamentary election for the House of Representatives was held on November 9, 2003.

Population and number of registered voters:

  • Population: 127,417,244 (July 2005 est.)
  • Registered Voters: 103,356,879 (September 2005 )

Last Updated on 12/15/2005

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