Note: In the results above, the seats are the total seats won in the election. The vote counts and percentages represent the single-member district votes.  

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: 127,773,000 (2005)
• Registered Voters: 103,356,879 (September 2005)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 65,3429,943 (2005)

·         Is Japan a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Japan ratified CEDAW: Yes (25 June 1985)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes 

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 43 (House of Representatives); 38 (House of Councillors)

·         Human Development Index Position: 20 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Japan a signatory to CRPD: Yes (28 September 2007)

·         Has Japan ratified CRPD: Yes (20 January 2014)

·         Population with a disability: 19,165,950 (est.)