Nine high court rulings this week have declared that the apportionment for the Dec. 16 Lower House election was unconstitutional because the disparity in single-seat constituency vote values between depopulated rural areas and populated urban ones is too large. In total, 16 high court rulings on the general election have found it either unconstitutional or "in a state of unconstitutionality."
This reflects the judiciary's irritation over the delay in rectifying vote-value disparities. The Diet must take the rulings seriously and devise a lasting reapportionment proposal. A makeshift proposal must be avoided as it would only sow the seeds of future confusion.
Among the rulings, the Okayama branch of the Hiroshima High Court issued the strongest message to the Diet on Tuesday. It not only found the December election unconstitutional but also declared the election results in the Okayama No. 2 constituency null and void. The Okayama Prefectural Election Management Commission is expected to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. If the top court upholds the ruling, the election in the constituency must be held again.