The Tokyo District Court has rejected a suit filed last week by lawyers seeking an injunction against the Dec. 16 general election because of the vote-value disparity, which the Supreme Court has ruled is in "a state of unconstitutionality."
"There are no (applicable) provisions of laws, so the lawsuit itself is unlawful," the district court said Wednesday in handing down its decision.
Presiding Judge Yutaka Kawakami said he can fully understand the plaintiffs' intention to prevent an election whose vote-value disparity is effectively illegal, but allowing the injunction could cause more problems, including stalling national politics.
The lawyers filed the suit against the government last Friday when Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda dissolved the Lower House for the snap election. They said they will appeal the ruling to the Tokyo High Court.