The Liberal Democratic Party and its ally Komeito on April 23 passed through the Lower House a bill designed to rectify the disparity in single-seat constituency vote value in a Lower House election between depopulated rural areas and populated urban areas.
Even if this bill becomes a law, it represents only makeshift electoral reform. Both the ruling and opposition parties should carefully consider what kind of reform will ensure fair and rational representation of people and strengthen the legislative function of the Diet.
There is a tendency among both the ruling and opposition forces to regard reducing the number of Diet seats as true reform. But it is no such thing. It is pseudo-reform that would lead to suppression of minority opinions represented by minor parties in the Diet.