Editorials Apr 24, 2017
Only comprehensive reform can resolve the Lower House electoral system's problems.
National / Crime & Legal Oct 31, 2016
Fukuoka court rejects suit over vote-value gap in July Upper House election
The Fukuoka High Court on Monday rejected a suit demanding that the outcome of the July Upper House election be invalidated due to the disparity in the weight of votes. The court said, however, that the maximum disparity of 3.08 times between the most and ...
National / Crime & Legal Oct 26, 2016
Suit seeking to void July Upper House election over vote gap nixed
A Hiroshima court rejected a suit Wednesday demanding invalidation of the outcome of the July Upper House election due to disparity in the weight of votes, adding to a growing list of similar rulings over the election. But in the 10th ruling on similar lawsuits ...
National / Crime & Legal Oct 20, 2016
Courts reject two more lawsuits seeking to void Upper House election
High courts on Thursday rejected two more lawsuits aimed at nullifying the results of the Upper House election in July over the nationwide disparities in voting values. The rulings were the latest in a series of cases challenging the election since last week. But the Osaka ...
National / Crime & Legal Oct 20, 2016
Japan's courts split over vote-weight disparity in July election but none voids results
Three Japanese high courts on Wednesday rejected lawsuits seeking to invalidate the July Upper House election due to its vote weight disparity but gave differing opinions on the constitutionality of the disparity itself. The Miyazaki Branch of the Fukuoka High Court ruled that the maximum ...
National / Crime & Legal Oct 17, 2016
Lawsuit seeking to invalidate July Upper House election nixed for second time
For the second time in less than a week, a high court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the July Upper House election over the disparity in the value of votes in the most and least represented constituencies. The Kanazawa branch of the Nagoya ...
National / Crime & Legal Oct 14, 2016
Court rejects lawsuit to void July Upper House election over vote values
The Okayama branch of the Hiroshima High Court on Friday turned down a lawsuit seeking to void the July Upper House election because of the gap in vote values between lightly populated and densely populated constituencies. The decision was the first for 16 lawsuits filed ...
National / Politics Jul 11, 2016
Lawsuits aim to void Japan's latest election over vote disparity
Two groups of lawyers said they are filing lawsuits with courts across Japan seeking nullification of the outcome of Sunday's Upper House election due to the uncorrected disparity in the weight of votes between constituencies. The focus is on whether the disparity in the value ...
National / Politics | DECISION 2016 Jul 6, 2016
Kochi voters feel neglected after redrawing of electoral boundaries
by Reiji Yoshida
Campaigning is at fever pitch ahead of Sunday's Upper House election, with candidates pounding the pavement, holding rallies and calling out their names and slogans for hours on end via loudspeakers. Not so in Kochi Prefecture, where things are quiet this year thanks to a ...
Editorials Apr 24, 2016
The ruling coalition needs to explain why the nation is still being kept waiting for the fundamental reform needed to correct the gross disparity in vote values.
National / Politics Feb 26, 2016
Census confirms population shrinkage, vote-value disparities
by Reiji Yoshida
The 2015 census is the first to confirm Japan is shrinking, but it also shows why the value of people’s votes is being warped nationwide.
National / Politics Feb 19, 2016
Abe eschews further delays, vows to cut 10 Lower House seats in line with census
by Ayako Mie
The prime minister pledges to slash 10 seats in the Diet’s House of Representatives sooner than his LDP party has proposed.