Japan
House of Councillors
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Political system
Political systems: Presidential, Parliamentary, Presidential-Parliamentary, Monarchy, Communist, Transitional.
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Parliamentary system
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Structure of parliament
Structure of parliament: Unicameral, bicameral
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Bicameral
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IPU membership
Current membership status
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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
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Election date(s)
The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
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10 Jul 2022
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Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
Date at which the previous legislature (elected at the previous elections) was dissolved.
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No information available
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Timing of election
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
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Upon normal expiry
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Expected date of next elections
The expected date at which the next elections should take place, based on law or practice.
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31 Jul 2025
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Number of seats at stake
Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
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125
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Scope of elections
Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
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Partial renewal
Candidates
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Number of parties contesting the election
This field may include either the number of parties contesting the election, or the number of coalitions/electoral alliance.
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15
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Total number of candidates
Total number of people who registered as candidates for election. Does not include people who stood as candidates to become "substitute members".
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545
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Number of male candidates
Number of male candidates
View field in the data dictionary -
364
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Number of female candidates
Number of female candidates
View field in the data dictionary -
181
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Percentage of women candidates
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
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33.2%
Voter turnout
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Registered voters
Number of people registered to vote
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105,019,203
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Voters
Number of people who actually voted
View field in the data dictionary -
54,655,444
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Voter turnout
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of people who actually voted by the number of people registered to vote
View field in the data dictionary -
52.0%
Results
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About the election
Short description of the context and results of the election.
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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".
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Number of parties winning seats
The number of parties which won parliamentary representation in the given election.
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10
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Percentage of parties winning seats
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of parties which won parliamentary representation by the number of parties contesting the election.
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66.7%
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Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of seats won by the largest party by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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50.4%
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Alternation of power after elections
The results of the elections caused a change in the government. "Not applicable" to countries using the presidential system when parliamentary and presidential elections are held separately, to countries in political transition or where there is no party system.
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No
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Number of parties in government
The government may be formed by one or more political parties
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2
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Names of parties in government
The government may be formed by one or more political parties
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Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Komeito
Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group | Total | Majority | Proportional |
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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
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90
- Number of women elected
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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.
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Percentage of women elected
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected by the number of seats filled.
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28.0%
- Women Directly Elected
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35
- Other notes on the elections
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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
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House of Councillors (03.08.2022)
https://www.sangiin.go.jp/japanese/joho1/kousei/giin/208/giinsu.htm
https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000825110.pdf
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20220710/k10013711211000.html
NHK
BBC Monitoring
CNN
New legislature
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Total number of men after the election
The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
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184
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Total number of women after the election
The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
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64
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Percentage of women after the election
The percentage is calculated by dividing the total number of women in this parliament/chamber by the current number of members.
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25.8%
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First-term parliamentarians
The number of members who are assuming their parliamentary mandate for the first time following the election or renewal, regardless of their mode of designation.
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42
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Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of first-term parliamentarians by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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16.9%
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Date of the first session
The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
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03 Aug 2022
First Speaker of the new legislature
- Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
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Hidehisa Otsuji (Male)
Date of birth: 02 Oct 1940 -
Political party
The political party to which the Speaker belonged to at the moment of the election. In some parliaments, the Speaker suspends or relinquishes their party membership during their term in office and is considered as an independent member.
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Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
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Date of election
The date of the election of the Speaker may be different from the date of the first session of the new legislature.
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03 Aug 2022