2012 Japanese general election

The LDP had governed Japan for all but three years since 1955. However, in the 2009 election, the LDP suffered the worst defeat of a sitting government in modern Japanese history. Due to the characteristics of the Japanese election system, DPJ candidates won 308 seats in the House of Representatives (64.2% of seats), enabling Yukio Hatoyama to become prime minister. Since then, Japan had had two other prime ministers, Naoto Kan and Yoshihiko Noda. On 16 November, Noda dissolved parliament, thus allowing for a new election in a month's time, citing the lack of funds to carry on governmental functions and the need for an emergency budget.

Dissatisfaction with the DPJ-led government and the former LDP-led government led to the formation of several grassroots movements, collectively known as the "third pole," to counter the two major parties.{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ed20121116a2.html |title=Japan's 'third pole |publisher=Japantimes.co.jp |date=2012-11-16 |access-date=2012-12-20}} The former Governor of Tokyo Shintarō Ishihara announced the renaming and reformation of the Sunrise Party on 14 November 2012; Ishihara co-lead the party with Takeo Hiranuma.[http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/new-political-party-to-be-named-tachiagare-nippon-stand-up-japan "New political party to be named 'Tachiagare Nippon' (Stand up Japan)"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605083908/http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/new-political-party-to-be-named-tachiagare-nippon-stand-up-japan |date=5 June 2011 }} On 17 November 2012 Mayor of Osaka Tōru Hashimoto and former Tokyo Governor Shintarō Ishihara announced the merger of the Japan Restoration Party and the Sunrise Party as a third force to contend the 16 December 2012 general election.Japan Today/Associated Press, "[http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/ishihara-hashimoto-announce-third-force-in-japanese-politics Ishihara, Hashimoto announce 'third force' in Japanese politics]", Japan Today, 18 November 2012 It is Japan's first national political party that is based outside of Tokyo.Johnston, Eric, "[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121003i1.html Nippon Ishin no Kai: Local but with national outlook] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126121910/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121003i1.html |date=26 January 2016 }}", Japan Times, 3 October 2012, p. 3

On 23 November, Mayor of Nagoya Takashi Kawamura, former state minister Shizuka Kamei and former farm minister Masahiko Yamada joined forces together to launch Tax Cuts Japan – Oppose TPP – Zero Nuclear Party as another "third pole" national political party.{{cite news|title=New Kawamura-led party joins election fray|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T121123002827.htm|access-date=28 November 2012|newspaper=Yomiuri Shimbun|date=24 November 2012}} On 28 November, the Governor of Shiga Yukiko Kada in Ōtsu announced the establishment of an anti-nuclear and gender equality focused party known as the Tomorrow Party of Japan, becoming the second national party based outside of Tokyo. Concurrently, the president of DPJ splinter group People's Life First, Ichirō Ozawa, dissolved the party, merging it into the Tomorrow Party. Tax Cuts Japan – Oppose TPP – Zero Nuclear Party and Japan Future Party attempted to merge with the aim of further countering the major and pro-nuclear parties.{{cite web|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121128a1.html |title=Shiga's Kada readies party; Ozawa joins |publisher=Japantimes.co.jp |date=2012-11-28 |access-date=2012-12-20}} On 27 November Tax Cuts Japan – Oppose TPP – Zero Nuclear Party officially announced a merger with Tomorrow, with party co-leader Mashahiko Yamada saying, "We would also like to raise our hands in joining because our ways of thinking are the same."{{cite web |url=http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201211270050 |title=2 Parties Merge With Japan Future |publisher=Ajw.asahi.com |access-date=2012-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130031334/http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201211270050 |archive-date=30 November 2012 |url-status=dead}}

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!Graph of the current Cabinet Approval/Disapproval Ratings

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|File:Japanese cabinet approval ratings (2009-).svg

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As of official announcement (kōji [=deadline for candidate registration, legal campaign start, start of early voting on following day]) on 4 DecemberYomiuri Shimbun: [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/election/shugiin/2012/ House of Representatives election 2012] – note that the government had lost its majority, already slim at the time of dissolution of the House of Representatives (16 November), due to further defections during the positioning of candidates for the election.

{{main|Results of the 2012 Japanese general election}}

File:46th Japanese General Election Cartogram.svg

{{Election results

|image=File:46th House of Representatives of Japan seat composition.svg

|firstround=Proportional|secondround=Constituency

|party1=Liberal Democratic Party|votes1=16624457|seats1=57|votes1_2=25643309|seats1_2=237|totseats1=294|sc1=+175

|party2=Japan Restoration Party|votes2=12262228|seats2=40|votes2_2=6942354|seats2_2=14|totseats2=54|sc2=New

|party3=Democratic Party of Japan|votes3=9628653|seats3=30|votes3_2=13598774|seats3_2=27|totseats3=57|sc3=–251

|party4=New Komeito Party|votes4=7116474|seats4=22|votes4_2=885881|seats4_2=9|totseats4=31|sc4=+10

|party5=Your Party|votes5=5245586|seats5=14|votes5_2=2807245|seats5_2=4|totseats5=18|sc5=+13

|party6=Japanese Communist Party|votes6=3689159|seats6=8|votes6_2=4700290|seats6_2=0|totseats6=8|sc6=–1

|party7=Tomorrow Party of Japan|votes7=3423915|seats7=7|votes7_2=2992366|seats7_2=2|totseats7=9|sc7=New

|party8=Social Democratic Party|votes8=1420790|seats8=1|votes8_2=451762|seats8_2=1|totseats8=2|sc8=–5

|party9=New Party Daichi|votes9=346848|seats9=1|votes9_2=315604|seats9_2=0|totseats9=1|sc9=0

|party10=Happiness Realization Party|votes10=216150|seats10=0|votes10_2=65983|seats10_2=0|totseats10=0|sc10=0

|party11=New Renaissance Party|votes11=134781|seats11=0|totseats11=0|sc11=0

|party12=People's New Party|votes12=70847|seats12=0|votes12_2=117185|seats12_2=1|totseats12=1|sc12=–2

|party13=New Party Nippon|votes13_2=62697|seats13_2=0|totseats13=0|sc13=–1

|party14=21st Century Japan Restoration Party|votes14_2=17711|seats14_2=0|totseats14=0|sc14=New

|party15=Natural Party|votes15_2=7831|seats15_2=0|totseats15=0|sc15=New

|party16=Ainu Party|votes16_2=7495|seats16_2=0|totseats16=0|sc16=New

|party17=Euthanasia Party|votes17_2=2603|seats17_2=0|totseats17=0|sc17=New

|party19=World Economic Community Party|votes19_2=1011|seats19_2=0|totseats19=0|sc19=0

|party20=Independents|votes20_2=1006468|seats20_2=5|totseats20=5|sc20=–1

|total_sc=0

|valid2=59626568

|invalid=1480081|invalid2=2040970

|electorate=103959866|electorate2=103959866

|source=[https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000194205.pdf Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications], [http://www.electiondataarchive.org/ CLEA]

}}

File:内閣総理大臣の指名 2012.12.26 (cropped).jpg is elected Prime Minister by the Diet, 26 December 2012.]]

As the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won 294 seats and their allies, the New Komeito Party, 31 seats, a coalition of the two parties would be able to form a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives, enabling them to overrule the House of Councillors. The significant swing back towards conservative politics was attributed to economic anxieties, including fear of falling behind China. Despite this landslide victory, Shinzo Abe acknowledged that his party won mainly because of voter antipathy towards the Democratic Party and not due to a resurgence in popularity for the LDP.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/world/asia/conservative-liberal-democratic-party-nearing-a-return-to-power-in-japan.html?_r=0|title=Japan Election Returns Power to Old Guard|first=Martin|last=Fackler|newspaper=The New York Times|date=16 December 2012|access-date=17 December 2012}}{{cite news|title=LDP aware voters just punished DPJ|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121217a2.html|first=Reiji|last=Yoshida|date=17 December 2012|access-date=17 December 2012|newspaper=The Japan Times}}

The election was an unmitigated disaster for the Democratic Party, which lost three-quarters{{cite news|title=Two-Party Japan Democracy Undone in 39 Months as DPJ Falls|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-16/two-party-japan-democracy-undone-in-39-months-as-dpj-crumbles.html|date=17 December 2012|access-date=17 December 2012|first1=John|last1=Brinsley|first2=Isabel|last2=Reynolds|publisher=Bloomberg}} of its 230 seats in the lower house to finish with just 57. In addition, seven members of the Cabinet lost their seats, the most ever in an election. Naoto Kan, who preceded Noda as prime minister, lost his constituency as well.{{cite news|title=LDP flattens DPJ in bruising return to power|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20121217a1.html|date=17 December 2012|access-date=17 December 2012|newspaper=The Japan Times}} Overall, this marked the worst performance by a ruling party in the post–World War II era. As a result, Yoshihiko Noda resigned from his post as party president.

The Tomorrow Party of Japan, which formed shortly before the election, consisted mostly of incumbents defecting from the Democratic Party. Most of these incumbents were unseated, causing the party to lose 86% of its strength only weeks after forming. Both the Japan Restoration Party and Your Party emerged as viable players in the Diet, while the traditional left parties Social Democratic Party and Japanese Communist Party continued to decline in strength and relevance.

The voter turnout of 59.3% was the lowest since World War II.

The Liberal Democratic Party had campaigned on a tough stance on the Senkaku Islands dispute, leading to speculation as to how the new government would deal with the issue.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20747496 | title=Japan election: LDP's Shinzo Abe vows tough China line | publisher=BBC | date=16 December 2012 | access-date=16 December 2012}} Abe made his party's position clear immediately following the election, stating that "[their] objective is to stop the challenge" from China with regards to ownership of the islands.{{cite news|title=Japan election winner fires early warning to China|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/9748518/Japan-election-winner-fires-early-warning-to-China.html|date=16 December 2012|access-date=17 December 2012|first1=Julian|last1=Ryall|first2=Chris|last2=Irvine|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London}} The re-election of the liberal conservative LDP raised concern in foreign media that Japan's relations with its neighbours – China and South Korea – would become strained, given the past visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by LDP prime ministers, the party's perceived de-emphasis of Japan's war crimes committed during World War II and their intention to amend the country's pacifist constitution to give more power to the Self-Defense Forces.{{cite news|title='The Senkaku islands are our territory': Japanese nationalists return to power in a landslide victory|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/12/16/japan-election/|date=16 December 2012|access-date=18 December 2012|newspaper=National Post|agency=Associated Press}}{{cite news|title=Rightwing revival raises regional dilemmas|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/267c22a2-477c-11e2-a899-00144feab49a.html#axzz2FHTqj1rD|date=16 December 2012|access-date=18 December 2012|first=Mure|last=Dickie|newspaper=Financial Times}} {{subscription required}}{{cite news|title=LDP crushes rivals in Japanese poll|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/41186cb6-4735-11e2-8f03-00144feab49a.html#axzz2FHTqj1rD|date=16 December 2012|access-date=18 December 2012|first1=Michiyo|last1=Nakamoto|first2=Mure|last2=Dickie|first3=Jonathan|last3=Soble|newspaper=Financial Times}} {{subscription required}} Abe was also in favor of retaining nuclear energy in the country.{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-japan-conservatives-landslide-election-20121216,0,5391869.story | title=Japan conservatives win landslide election victory |work=Los Angeles Times |author1=Nagano, Yuriko |author2=Demick, Barbara | date=16 December 2012 | access-date=16 December 2012}}

In response to the election, the Nikkei 225 Index increased by 1%, while the yen fell to ¥84.48 against the US dollar, the lowest rate in 20 months.{{cite news|title=Japan elections: Shares rise and yen weakens on Abe win|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20752215|date=17 December 2012|access-date=17 December 2012|work=BBC News}} Furthermore, the yield on 20-year Japanese government bonds (JCBs) rose to 1.710% a day after the election. This marked its highest level in nearly eight months.{{cite news|title=JGB 20-year yield hits 8-month high after Japan election|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/markets-japan-jgbs-election-idUST9E8FR02H20121217|date=16 December 2012|access-date=17 December 2012|work=Reuters}}

United States President Barack Obama spoke to Abe via telephone to congratulate him on the results of the general election, and discussed ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral security cooperation as well as deepening economic ties.{{cite web | url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/12/17/readout-president-s-call-liberal-democratic-party-president-shinzo-abe-j | title=Readout of the President's Call with Liberal Democratic Party President Shinzo Abe of Japan |date=2012-12-17 | via=National Archives | work=whitehouse.gov | access-date=2012-12-18}}

{{Update section|date=July 2023}}

On 25 March 2013, the Hiroshima High Court ruled the election unconstitutional and the results void due to "the disparity in the value of one vote", which was up to 2.43 time the maximum constitutionally allowed disparity in some districts.[http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T130325003893.htm Yomiuri: Court rules lower house poll invalid / Vote disparity in Hiroshima 'too wide' (english)]{{Cite web |title=Hiroshima court rules Dec. election invalid over vote disparity |url=http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130325p2g00m0dm062000c.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130413174128/http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130325p2g00m0dm062000c.html |archive-date=13 April 2013 |access-date=26 March 2013 |website=The Mainichi}} The decision is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court,{{cite news | url=https://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2013/03/25/hiroshima-court-rules-election-invalid/ | newspaper=The Wall Street Journal | title=Hiroshima Court Rules Election Invalid | date=25 March 2013 | first=Toko | last=Sekiguchi | access-date=22 March 2018 }} and, if upheld, new elections must be held. The Supreme Court had previously ruled that the electoral system was unconstitutional without invalidating election results. Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said that government would give electoral reform new thought and examine the situation carefully in order to respond in the appropriate manner.

• List of districts of the House of Representatives of Japan

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20121219065837/http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/election/2012lowerhouse/index.html Election results (NHK World)]
• [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/election/ Detailed results (Yomiuri Shimbun)] (Japanese)

{{Japanese elections}}

Japan

Category:General elections in Japan

General election

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