The Lower House reapportionment commission on Thursday submitted to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a recommendation aimed at rectifying the disparity in single-seat constituency vote values between depopulated rural areas and populated urban ones.
But the recommendation is simply a makeshift measure. As long as the population outflow from rural areas to urban areas continues, the recommendation will become out of date soon. The Diet must start serious efforts to ensure a fair distribution of Diet seats for a long time to come.
The recommendation came in the wake of 16 high court rulings that have found the Dec. 16 Lower House election either unconstitutional or "in a state of unconstitutionality" because the maximum disparity in vote values was too large — at 2.425 times. Two of the rulings went so far as to declare the election results in particular constituencies null and void.