2019 Japanese House of Councillors election

2019 Japanese House of Councillors election

← 2016 July 21, 2019 2022 →

124 of the 245 seats in the House of Councillors
123 seats needed for a majority
Turnout48.80% (Decrease5.90pp; Const. votes)
48.79% (Decrease5.90pp; National votes)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Shinzō Abe 20120501 (cropped 2).jpg
Yukio Edano in SL Square on 2017 - 4 (cropped).jpg
Natsuo Yamaguchi.jpg
Leader Shinzō Abe Yukio Edano Natsuo Yamaguchi
Party Liberal Democratic Constitutional Democratic Komeito
Last election 121 seats Did not exist 25 seats
Seats won 113 32 28
Seat change Decrease8 New Increase3
Constituency vote 20,030,331 7,951,430 3,913,359
% and swing 39.77% (Decrease0.17pp) 15.79% (New) 7.77% (Increase0.23pp)
National vote 17,712,373 7,917,720 6,536,336
% and swing 35.37% (Decrease0.54pp) 15.81% (New) 13.05% (Decrease0.47pp)

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Yuichiro Tamaki IMG 5649-1 20160903 (cropped).jpg
Ichiro Matsui and Toranosuke Katayama.png
Kazuo Shii in SL Square in 2017.jpg
Leader Yuichiro Tamaki Ichiro Matsui
Toranosuke Katayama
Kazuo Shii
Party Democratic For the People Ishin Communist
Last election Did not exist 12 seats 14 seats
Seats won 21 16 13
Seat change New Increase4 Decrease1
Constituency vote 3,256,859 3,664,530 3,710,768
% and swing 6.47% (New) 7.28% (Increase1.44pp) 7.37% (Increase0.11pp)
National vote 3,481,078 4,907,844 4,483,411
% and swing 6.95% (New) 9.80% (Increase0.60pp) 8.95% (Decrease1.79pp)

Districts and PR districts, shaded according to winners' vote strength

House of Councillors elections were held in Japan on 21 July 2019 to elect 124 of the 245 members of the House of Councillors, the upper house of the then 710-member bicameral National Diet, for a term of six years.

74 members were elected by single non-transferable vote (SNTV)/First-past-the-post (FPTP) voting in 45 multi- and single-member prefectural electoral districts. The nationwide district elected 50 members by D'Hondt proportional representation with optionally open lists, the previous most open list system was modified in 2018 to give parties the option to prioritize certain candidates over the voters' preferences in the proportional election.[1][2]

The election saw Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition lose the two-thirds majority needed to enact constitutional reform.[3][4] The Liberal Democratic Party also lost its majority in the House of Councillors, but the LDP maintained control of the House of Councillors with its junior coalition partner Komeito.

  1. ^ NHK kaisetsu blog archive, 19 July 2018: 「参院定数6増 比例特定枠導入~選挙制度改革行方は」(時論公論)
  2. ^ MIC, electoral system news, 24 October 2018: 参議院議員選挙制度の改正について
  3. ^ "Forces seeking to change Japan's Constitution to lose 2/3 majority in upper house". July 22, 2019 – via Mainichi Daily News.
  4. ^ "Abe wins upper house poll but suffers constitutional reform setback". Kyodo News+.