Sapporo High Court rules July election is in 'state of unconstitutionality' due to vote disparity
The Sapporo High Court ruled Thursday that July's Upper House election was in a "state of unconstitutionality" due to a disparity in the value of a vote between the most and least-populated constituencies, with some being worth up to three times more. But the court ...
Actor-turned-politician Taro Yamamoto aims for real-life starring role as future Japan PM
Actor-turned-politician Taro Yamamoto is angling for a new real-life role in which he leads his novice party and allies to victory, ousts long-ruling conservatives and takes over as prime minister within the next few years. Whether or not he can achieve that ambitious target, Yamamoto ...
Japan lawmaker who sparked scandal with Russia war remarks to join anti-NHK party
Hodaka Maruyama, who was expelled from Nippon Ishin no Kai, will become a member of NHK Kara Kokumin wo Mamoru To (the Party to Protect the People from NHK).
Despite winning more seats in Upper House vote, Komeito officials worry about losing support
Komeito boosted its presence in the House of Councilors in the latest election, but a sense of crisis among party officials has deepened as the number of votes it acquired under the proportional representation system fell by more than 1 million compared to the ...
Teen voter turnout at 31% in Upper House election, down 14 points from 2016
Teenage voters' turnout for Sunday's House of Councilors election came to 31.33 percent for local constituency races, the internal affairs ministry said in a preliminary report Tuesday. The figure is 17.47 percentage points lower than the overall turnout of 48.80 percent and represented a 14.12-point ...
Pro-Constitution reform bloc might not be able to win two-thirds majority in election
The ruling coalition and other forces in support of constitutional amendments may fall short of a two-thirds majority, or 164 seats, in the new House of Councilors to be elected in the triennial poll next Sunday, a Jiji Press survey suggested Sunday. Any amendment to ...
LDP support rate edges up ahead of Japan's Upper House election, poll finds
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has extended its lead over opposition parties, according to a Kyodo News poll, as the campaign for the July 21 Upper House election heats up. The latest nationwide survey, conducted for two days from Friday, shows support ...
Abe calls for constitutional amendments proposals to be debated in Diet
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday demanded that the Diet discuss his Liberal Democratic Party's proposals for constitutional amendments. The LDP's proposals include defining the roles of the Self-Defense Forces in the Constitution's war-renouncing Article 9. Political parties should put forward their own proposals for constitutional ...
Female candidates in Japan Upper House poll at record 28%, but hitting 30% Diet target doubtful
The ratio of female candidates is at an all-time high, but can the government reach its goal of raising the percentage of women in the Diet to 30 percent?
Campaign kicks off for Japan Upper House poll, a litmus test for constitutional reform and tax hike
The focus will be on whether the LDP and other forces in favor of constitutional amendment will be able to retain their current two-thirds supermajority.
This month's Upper House election will give voters another opportunity to cast judgment on the 7-year-old Abe administration.
Voters focus on tax hike and Constitution as Japan's Upper House election campaign begins
As campaigning for the Upper House election began Thursday, voters voiced their opinions on key topics that could change the course of the nation, such as the planned consumption tax hike, the pension system and constitutional amendment. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government plans to raise ...
