ElectionGudie

Nov. 9, 2003 Held

61,189,807
Voted
Japan

Japan

Election for Shugiin (Japanese House of Representatives)

Results

58%
Voter
Turnout*
Cast Votes:61,189,807
Valid Votes:59,502,374
Invalid Votes:1,687,433

Parties:

Party Seats Won Seats Change Votes

Liberal Democratic Party 237 None

Democratic Party of Japan 177 None

Komeito 34 None

Japanese Communist Party 9 None

Social Democratic Party 6 None

New Conservative Party 4 None

Independents Club 1 None

Liberal League 1 None

Independents 11 None

More Info:

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 hereditary head of state.
  • In the House of Councillors (Sangi-in), 98 members are elected by proportional representation to serve 6-year terms and 144 members are elected in multi-member constituencies 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.

Main parties in the electoral race:

  • Party: Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDP) / Shakai Minshuto
    Leader: Takako DOI
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 6
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 19
  • Party: Japan Communist Party (JCP) / Nihon Kyosanto
    Leader: Tetsuzo FUWA
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 9
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 20
  • Party: New Clean Government Party / New Komeito
    Leader: Takenori KANZAKI
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 34
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 31
  • Party: Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) / Minshuto****
    Leader: Yukio HATOYAMA
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 177
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 127
  • Party: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
    Leader: Junichiro KOIZUMI
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 237
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 233
  • Party: New Conservative Party (NCP) / Hoshu Shinto
    Leader: Hiroshi KUMAGI
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 4
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 7
  • Party: Others
    Leader: N/A
    Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 17
    Seats won in last House of Representatives election: N/A

**** The Liberal Party, which won 22 seats in the 2000 election, recently merged with the Democratic Party (DPJ).

Last Parliamentary election:

  • Last parliamentary elections were held on July 29, 2001.

Population and number of registered voters:

  • Population: 127,214,499 (July 2005 est.)
  • Registered Voters: 100,492,328 ( 2000 est.)