July 4, 2017
In the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election on July 2, the Japanese Communist Party increased its number of seats to 19 from its pre-election strength of 17. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democratic Party suffered a historic crushing defeat.
This is second consecutive victory of the JCP after 2013 when the party doubled its strength from eight to 17.
The JCP received 773,722 votes, about 190,000 up from the previous election four years ago, or 14.73% (an increase of 1.17 points over the pre-election) of the total votes. Only the JCP had an increase in both the number of votes and the voting rate.
The LDP lost its seats from 57 to 23, and failed to win seats of the influential candidates, including the secretary general of the party’s Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member’s group. The LDP hit a record low, surpassing the lowest 38 seats it managed to secure in 2009, suffering a stunning defeat. It decreased its share of votes by around 14 percentage points from the previous election.
A local political party, “Tomin First no Kai”, led by Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko obtained 49 seats, and has become a leading party in the 127-member metropolitan assembly. The Komei Party that cooperated with the “Tomin First no Kai” in the election increased its seats by one seat, totaling 23. The power to support Koike Yuriko now occupies 79 assembly seats, including independent assembly members.
The Democratic Party obtained only five seats, down by two seats. Tokyo Seikatsusha Net’s candidate Yamauchi Reiko, who was supported by the JCP, won her seat.
The voter turnout stood at 51.28%, a rise by around seven percentage points from 43.50% four years ago.
According to exit polls conducted by the media on July 2, the JCP enjoyed the second largest support from politically unaffiliated voters, following the “Tomin First no Kai”. The media pointed out that the JCP offers an “option” for voters who oppose the Abe administration.
Past related article:
> JCP doubles its seats in Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election [June 25, 2013]
This is second consecutive victory of the JCP after 2013 when the party doubled its strength from eight to 17.
The JCP received 773,722 votes, about 190,000 up from the previous election four years ago, or 14.73% (an increase of 1.17 points over the pre-election) of the total votes. Only the JCP had an increase in both the number of votes and the voting rate.
The LDP lost its seats from 57 to 23, and failed to win seats of the influential candidates, including the secretary general of the party’s Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member’s group. The LDP hit a record low, surpassing the lowest 38 seats it managed to secure in 2009, suffering a stunning defeat. It decreased its share of votes by around 14 percentage points from the previous election.
A local political party, “Tomin First no Kai”, led by Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko obtained 49 seats, and has become a leading party in the 127-member metropolitan assembly. The Komei Party that cooperated with the “Tomin First no Kai” in the election increased its seats by one seat, totaling 23. The power to support Koike Yuriko now occupies 79 assembly seats, including independent assembly members.
The Democratic Party obtained only five seats, down by two seats. Tokyo Seikatsusha Net’s candidate Yamauchi Reiko, who was supported by the JCP, won her seat.
The voter turnout stood at 51.28%, a rise by around seven percentage points from 43.50% four years ago.
According to exit polls conducted by the media on July 2, the JCP enjoyed the second largest support from politically unaffiliated voters, following the “Tomin First no Kai”. The media pointed out that the JCP offers an “option” for voters who oppose the Abe administration.
Past related article:
> JCP doubles its seats in Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election [June 25, 2013]
