The Okayama branch of the Hiroshima High Court on Friday turned down a lawsuit seeking to void the July Upper House election because of the gap in vote values between lightly populated and densely populated constituencies.

The decision was the first for 16 lawsuits filed with high courts across Japan by two groups of lawyers after the July 10 election. They are arguing that the vote weight disparity of up to 3.08 times violated equality under the law as stipulated in the Constitution.

Although it did not void the election, the Okayama branch said the disparity was "in a state of unconstitutionality."