Japanese general election, 2000

Japanese general election, 2000
Japan
25 June 2000

All 480 seats to the House of Representatives of Japan
241 seats needed for a majority
Turnout 64.45%
  First party Second party
 
Leader Yoshirō Mori Yukio Hatoyama
Party Liberal Democratic Democratic
Leader since 5 April 2000 25 September 1999
Leader's seat Ishikawa-2nd Hokkaido-9th
Last election 239 seats
38.63% (district)
32.76% (block)
52 seats
10.62% (district)
16.10% (block)
Seats before 271 95
Seats won 233 127
Seat change Decrease38 Increase32
Popular vote 24,945,807 (district)
16,943,425 (block)
16,811,732 (district)
15,067,990 (block)
Percentage 40.97% (district)
28.31% (block)
27.61% (district)
25.18% (block)

Parliamentary districts won by

- LDP - DPJ - Kōmeitō - LP - CP - SDP
- Independent factions


Prime Minister before election

Yoshirō Mori
Liberal Democratic

Prime Minister-designate

Yoshirō Mori
Liberal Democratic

Elections to the Shugi-In (House of Representatives) of the Japanese Diet were held on 25 June 2000.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) maintained a majority in the House of Representatives, but its total percentage of seats shrank from 65% to 56%, and its two coalition partners also lost several seats. Two cabinet members, Takashi Fukaya and Tokuichiro Tamazawa, lost their seats. The Democratic Party of Japan made major gains under the leadership of Yukio Hatoyama.[1]

Background

Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi suffered a stroke in April 2000 and was replaced by Yoshiro Mori. Although the term limit for the House of Representatives would have been reached in October 2000, Mori dissolved the House on June 2 in what became popularly known as the Divine Nation Dissolution (神の国解散) due to a controversial statement by Mori prior to the election, which preceded a slump in government approval ratings from 40% to 20%. The LDP government advocated continued public works spending while the opposition advocated less spending and more governmental reforms.[2]

The Social Democratic Party would leave the coalition with the LDP and re-join the opposition after years of coalition with the ideologically contrasting LDP.

Meanwhile, the Komeito Party a centrist party with roots from the Soka Gakkai based on the Nichiren Buddhist movement. Despite almost decades of opposition against the LDP. Shifted from the centre towards conservatism, And an electoral alliance between the once rivals has been in affect since the Japanese General election in 2000. For the LDP, Despite not being able to win an absolute majority of votes by itself in further elections. The Komeito party has been counted on since then to ensure a stable governing majority rule for the LDP.

Results

The House of Representatives consisted of 480 members, 300 elected from single-member constituencies and 180 elected on a proportional basis from eleven multi-member constituencies known as Block constituencies.

 Summary of the June 25 2000 Japanese House of Representatives election results[3][4]
Alliances and parties Local constituency vote PR block vote Total seats +/−
Votes[5] % Seats Votes % Seats
   Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 24,945,806 40.97% 177 16,943,425 28.31% 56 233 Decrease38
Justice Party 1,231,753 2.02% 7 7,762,032 12.97% 24 31 Decrease11
Conservative Party 1,230,464 2.02% 7 247,334 0.41% 0 7 Decrease11
Reform Club 203,736 0.33% 0 0 Decrease5
Ruling coalition 27,611,760 45.35% 191 24,952,791 41.70% 80 271 Decrease65
   Democratic Party (DPJ) 16,811,732 27.61% 80 15,067,990 25.18% 47 127 Increase32
Liberal Party 2,053,736 3.37% 4 6,589,490 11.01% 18 22 Increase4
Japan Communist Party (JCP) 7,352,844 12.08% 0 6,719,016 11.23% 20 20 Decrease6
Social Democratic Party (SDP) 2,315,235 3.80% 4 5,603,680 9.36% 15 19 Increase5
Assembly of Independents 652,138 1.07% 5 151,345 0.25% 0 5 Increase1
Liberal League (LL) 1,071,012 1.76% 1 660,724 1.10% 0 1 Steady0
Others 46,945 0.08% 0 99,565[6] 0.17% 0 0 Decrease1
Opposition parties 30,243,642 49.78% 94 34,891,810 58.30% 100 194 Increase35
Independents 2,967,069 4.87% 15 15 Increase11
Totals 60,822,471 100.00% 300 59,844,601 100.00% 180 480 Decrease19
(PR blocks: -20,
1 vacant seat)
Turnout 64.45% (+4.8) 62.49% (+2.87)
Local constituency vote
LDP
 
40.97%
DPJ
 
27.61%
JCP
 
12.08%
SDP
 
3.80%
LP
 
3.37%
NKP
 
2.02%
NCP
 
2.02%
LL
 
1.76%
AI
 
1.07%
Independents
 
4.87%
Others
 
0.41%
PR block vote
LDP
 
28.31%
DPJ
 
25.18%
NKP
 
12.97%
JCP
 
11.23%
LP
 
11.01%
SDP
 
9.36%
LL
 
1.10%
NCP
 
0.41%
AI
 
0.25%
Others
 
0.17%
Parliament seats
LDP
 
48.54%
DPJ
 
26.46%
NKP
 
6.46%
LP
 
4.58%
JCP
 
4.17%
SDP
 
3.96%
NCP
 
1.46%
AI
 
1.04%
LL
 
0.21%
Independents
 
3.13%

References

  1. French, Howard (26 June 2000). "GOVERNING PARTY IN JAPAN SUFFERS ELECTION SETBACK". New York Times. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  2. "JAPAN Parliamentary Chamber: Shugiin ELECTIONS HELD IN 2000". IPU.org. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  3. Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Statistics Department, Long-term statistics, chapter 27: Public servants and elections, sections 27-7 to 27-10 Elections for the House of Representatives
  4. National Diet Library/MIC: Results of the 42nd House of Representatives election
  5. Fractional votes rounded to full numbers
  6. Socialist Party
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