Japan

House of Representatives House of Councillors

House of Representatives

Political system
Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
Yes
»

Election results

Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.

Background

Election date(s)
22 Oct 2017
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
28 Sep 2017
Timing of election
Early elections
Number of seats at stake
465
Scope of elections
Full renewal

Candidates

Number of parties contesting the election
11
Total number of candidates
1,180
Number of male candidates
971
Number of female candidates
209
Percentage of women candidates
17.7%

Voter turnout

Registered voters
106,091,229
Voters
56,947,831
Voter turnout
53.7%

Results

About the election

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition - comprising his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito - retained its two-thirds majority in the early elections, taking a total of 335 seats in the 465-member House of Representatives (see note 1). The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, led by former Chief Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Yukio Edano; and Kibo no To (Party of Hope), led by the Governor of Tokyo, Ms. Yuriko Koike, took 54 and 50 seats respectively (see note 2). The percentage of women in the House of Representatives surpassed 10% for the first time since 2009. On 1 November, Mr. Abe was re-elected as Prime Minister.

The 2017 elections were held amid security threats caused by missile launches and nuclear testing by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The Prime Minister called snap elections in late September, stating that he needed a fresh mandate for his administration's handling of the tensions with the DPRK as well as for its decision to spend more revenue from the planned rise in consumption tax (from 8 to 10% in 2019) on social welfare and less on paying off government debt. Most opposition parties opposed the consumption tax increase. The major electoral issues included the Prime Minister’s plan to amend the Constitution, while the evaluation of the second Abe administration (since 2012) also dominated the election campaign. Among the major parties, the ruling coalition and Kibo no To advocated for constitutional amendments while the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan opposed them.

Note 1:

In accordance with amendments to the Electoral law promulgated on 27 May 2016, the number of single-member constituencies decreased from 295 to 289, and the number of members elected under the proportional system fell from 180 to 176. Accordingly, the number of members of the House of Representatives has been reduced from 475 to 465.

Note 2:

Prior to the 2017 elections, the main opposition Democratic Party (which itself had been formed in March 2016 by the Democratic Party of Japan and two other parties) split into several parties. Most members joined Kibo no To, formed by Governor Koike, who herself did not stand for the 2017 elections. Fifteen other members joined the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, while Democratic Party leader Seiji Maehara and other senior members ran as independents.

Number of parties winning seats
7
Percentage of parties winning seats
63.6%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
60.4%
Alternation of power after elections
No
Number of parties in government
2
Names of parties in government
Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group Total Majority Proportional
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 281 215 66
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan 54 17 37
Kibo no To (Party of Hope) 50 18 32
Komeito 29 8 21
Independents 26 26 0
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 12 1 11
Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) 11 3 8
Social Democratic Party (SDP) 2 1 1
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
418
Number of women elected
47
Percentage of women elected
10.1%
Women Directly Elected
47
Other notes on the elections

Note on the Distribution of seats:

- Three independent candidates-elect joined the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) after the elections, bringing the LDP's tally to 284 in all.

- One independent candidate-elect joined the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, bringing the party's tally to 55 in all.

Parliamentary groups in the House of Representatives as at 30 October 2017.

- Liberal Democratic Party (LDP): 284

- Constitutional Democratic Party - Civic Club: 55

- Kibo no To (Party of Hope) - Independents Club: 51

- Komeito: 29

- Association of Independents: 13

- Japanese Communist Party (JCP): 12

- Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party): 11

- Liberal Party: 2

- Social Democratic Party (SDPJ) - Citizens Coalition: 2

- Independents: 6

Sources

House of Representatives (31.10.2017)

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Kyodo News Service

Jiji Press

The Japan Times

The Sankei Shimbun

New legislature

Total number of men after the election
418
Total number of women after the election
47
Percentage of women after the election
10.1%
First-term parliamentarians
50
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
10.8%
Date of the first session
01 Nov 2017

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
Tadamori Oshima (Male)
Date of birth: 1946
Political party
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
Date of election
01 Nov 2017

Historical data for IPU membership

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Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No