JCP gains 4.58 million votes in general election

The 43rd House of Representative general election was held on November 9, and the ballots were counted the same day.

The JCP received 4.58 million votes in the proportional representation blocs (more than the votes cast for the JCP in the 2001 House of Councilors election) securing nine seats, 11 seats down from the previous election.

The successful candidates are as follows:

Takahashi Chizuko (Northeastern), Shiokawa Tetsuya (North-Kanto), Yamaguchi Tomio (Tokyo), Shii Kazuo (South-Kanto), Sasaki Kensho (Tokai), Ishii Ikuko, Kokuta Keiji and Yoshii Hidekatsu (Kinki), and Akamine Seiken (Kyushu-Okinawa).

The ruling coalition parties (LDP, Komei, and New Conservative) failed to gain the combined 287 seats which they had gained in the previous election, but they managed to retain a solid majority of 275 seats. The LDP won 237, slightly over the seats from the previous election, but it increased the number to 240 by having three successful independent candidates rejoin the party, including former LDP secretary general Kato Koichi. Kato had stepped down from the Diet on charges of illegally using his influence over public works projects and appropriation of political funds for his own use. Komei won 34, up from 31.

The DPJ became the strongest party in proportional representation blocs with 72 seats. Combined with single-seat constituencies, it obtained 177 seats, an increase of 40 from its pre-election strength. The Social Democratic Party suffered a setback from 18 seats to six seats.

The voter turnout was 59.86 percent for single-seat constituencies (62.49 percent in the previous election) , the second lowest since the end of World War II. (end)