Editorials Feb 23, 2016
Get more serious on electoral reform
Electoral reform should focus on a fundamental solution to the disparity in the value of votes.
Editorials Jul 30, 2015
Upper House vote reform falls short
The recent changes to the Upper House districts fall far short of addressing in a meaningful way the disparity in vote values.
National / Politics Jul 24, 2015
Upper House electoral districts set for historic postwar shake-up to end election 'unconstitutionality'
by Mizuho Aoki
The bill, jointly submitted by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and four opposition parties, rectifies sharp gaps in the weight of votes among a number of constituencies.
Editorials Jul 14, 2015
Insufficient electoral reform effort
In enacting electoral reforms, the LDP needs to put voters' constitutional rights ahead of its own interests.
Editorials Dec 17, 2014
The skewed value of votes
Lawmakers must set aside their partisan interests and act fast to narrow the wide gap in the value of votes between rural and urban constituencies.
Editorials Sep 28, 2014
Lower House electoral reform
A panel of experts has begun discussions on addressing Lower House electoral reforms, particularly the vote-value disparity between rural and urban districts, after talks among the ruling and opposition parties failed.
Editorials May 14, 2014
Redressing vote-value disparity
Lawmakers' personal interests should not be allowed to stand in the way of reforms to reduce the disparity in the value of votes.
Editorials Mar 17, 2014
Change at the top court's helm
It is hoped that incoming new chief Justice Itsuro Terada will stand firm in keeping the Supreme Court independent of political presssures as it considers controversial issues such as the disparity in vote value between legislative constituencies and whether Japan may exercise its right ...
Editorials Feb 23, 2014
An equal vote is a priority
Talks between the ruling and opposition parties on rectifying vote-value disparity, which remains so wide among Lower House constituencies as to undermine the principle of equality under the Constitution, have made little headway.
Editorials Dec 5, 2013
Voter inequality under the law
The disparity in vote value between more and less populous Upper House constituencies has grown so wide that it is undermining the principle of equality under the law with regard to the representation of voters's will.
Editorials Nov 24, 2013
Reduce disparities in value of votes
The Diet and government should immediatly start working out a way to drastically reduce disparities in vote values.
Editorials Jul 27, 2013
Annulling the Upper House poll
As soon as the results were announced for last week's Upper House election, lawsuits were filed demanding the nullifcation because of vote-vale disparities.