Japan

House of Councillors

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)
10 Jul 2022
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
No information available
Timing of election
Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections
31 Jul 2025
Number of seats at stake
125
Scope of elections
Partial renewal

Candidates

Number of parties contesting the election
15
Total number of candidates
545
Number of male candidates
364
Number of female candidates
181
Percentage of women candidates
33.2%

Voter turnout

Registered voters
105,019,203
Voters
54,655,444
Voter turnout
52.0%

Results

About the election

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won the majority of the 124 seats at stake in the half renewal of the 248-member House of Councillors (see note 1). The LDP and its coalition partner Komeito, led by Mr. Natsuo Yamaguchi, thereby retained an overall majority. The main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), led by Mr. Kenta Izumi, came a distant second with 17 seats (see note 2) and now holds 39 seats in all. The number of MPs backing constitutional amendments in the Diet (which also includes the 465-member House of Representatives) reached two thirds of all members (see note 3). A record 35 women were elected (28%), up from 22.58 per cent in 2019. In the 2022 elections, 33.21 per cent of candidates were women, also a record high, up from 28.11 per cent.

The 2022 elections followed the global COVID-19 pandemic, and were held against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine that started in February. Prime Minister Kishida promised to boost Japan’s defence capabilities within five years. He also stated that he would work on amending the Constitution. Two days before polling day, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated while campaigning for an LDP candidate. Prime Minister Kishida condemned the act and vowed to defend free and fair elections, which are the basis of democracy.

Note 1:

A total of 125 members were elected in 2022: one at a by-election (under the majority system) and 124 at the regular election. Of the 124 MPs, 74 were elected under the majority system and 50 under proportional representation. The House of Councillors now comprises 248 members as stipulated in the amendments to the electoral law promulgated in July 2018. The new statutory number was applied in two phases: from 242 to 245 after the half renewal in 2019, and then to 248 in 2022.

Note 2:

The figure includes the by-election in Kanagawa prefecture that was won by the CDP’s female candidate.

Note 3:

In addition to the LDP and Komeito, Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) and the Democratic Party for the People support constitutional amendments. These four parties won a total of 93 seats in 2022. Article 96 of the Constitution stipulates that constitutional amendments require "a concurring vote of two thirds or more of all the members of each House" and "a majority of all votes cast thereon, at a special referendum".

Number of parties winning seats
10
Percentage of parties winning seats
66.7%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
50.4%
Alternation of power after elections
No
Number of parties in government
2
Names of parties in government
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Komeito

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group Total Majority Proportional
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 63 45 18
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan 17 10 7
Komeito 13 7 6
Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) 12 4 8
Democratic Party for the People 5 2 3
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) 4 1 3
Reiwa Shinsengumi 3 1 2
Social Democratic Party (SDP) 1 0 1
NHK Party 1 0 1
Sanseito 1 0 1
Independents 5 0 5
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
90
Number of women elected
35

Notes: Out of 124 members elected at regular elections, 34 were women. In addition, a female candidate won a by-election. There were thus 35 women elected out of 125 members.

Percentage of women elected
28.0%
Women Directly Elected
35
Other notes on the elections

Note on the number of seats at stake:

124 seats at the regular election (74 under the majority system and 50 under proportional representation) and one seat at a by-election (under the majority system).

Note on the parties or coalitions winning seats:

The number of seats for the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan includes one female member who won a by-election in Kanagawa prefecture.

Sources

New legislature

Total number of men after the election
184
Total number of women after the election
64
Percentage of women after the election
25.8%
First-term parliamentarians
42
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
16.9%
Date of the first session
03 Aug 2022

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
Hidehisa Otsuji (Male)
Date of birth: 02 Oct 1940
Political party
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
Date of election
03 Aug 2022

Historical data for IPU membership

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