In second-lowest figure since end of WWII, voter turnout in Japan's Upper House election falls below 50%

Voter turnout in Sunday’s Upper House election fell short of the 50 percent threshold, topping out at 48.80 percent — the second lowest postwar total — the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said Monday.

The low turnout, despite a record number of early ballots for an Upper House poll, compared with 54.70 percent for the previous election for the chamber in 2016.

The lowest-ever turnout for an Upper House election was 44.52 percent in 1995, according to ministry data.

Voter turnout in the two pairs of western prefectures with small populations — Tottori and neighboring Shimane, and Tokushima and adjoining Kochi, were particularly low. Their respective constituencies were both united in a revised election law in 2015.

In Shimane, turnout fell sharply to 54.04 percent from 62.20 percent in the previous Upper House election.

Political analysts said this year’s Upper House election failed to receive much attention due to a lack of clear-cut differences among parties stances on key issues. Torrential rain brought by a typhoon may have also affected voting in the country’s southwest.

• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

GET THE BEST OF THE JAPAN TIMES IN FIVE EASY PIECES WITH TAKE 5

LATEST NATIONAL STORIES

Japan sees local government sign-ups for evacuation insurance triple in 18 months

The number of local governments signing up for insurance to cover the costs of disaster evacuation has nearly tripled over 18 months in the wake of major natural disasters over the past several ...

60% of Japanese eat something special for Christmas, poll finds

A recent Jiji Press survey has shown that 57.4 percent of people in Japan eat something special for Christmas and that about half of such people buy take-out food. The proportion of respo...

Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko visit war dead memorial in Okinawa

Crown Prince Akishino and his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, visited Peace Memorial Park in the city of Itoman, Okinawa Prefecture, on Saturday, laying flowers at the National Okinawa War Dead Mausoleu...