4 JCP candidates elected: Upper House election

The Japanese Communist Party secured four seats in the House of Councilors proportional representation election on July 11.

In prefectural constituencies, the JCP fell short of defending its seven incumbent seats (Saitama, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo).

The previous number of JCP seats up for re-election was 15.

After the election, the JCP holds nine seats in the 242-Upper House. The Liberal Democratic Party occupies 115 seats, the Democratic Party of Japan 82, the Komei Party 24, and the Social Democratic Party five.

The elected JCP candidates are Ichida Tadayoshi, Koike Akira, Daimon Mikishi, and Nihi Sohei. Nihi was elected for the first time.

The JCP received 4.36 million votes (7.8 percent) in the proportional representation constituency, an increase of about 33,000 votes from the 2001 Upper House election. Compared with the 2003 Lower House election, the number of votes decreased by 220,000, with a slight increase in the vote ratio.

In prefectural constituencies, the total number of votes the JCP garnered was 5.52 million, an increase of 157,000 votes from the 2001 Upper House election and 680,000 votes from the 2003 Lower House election.

The LDP secured 49 seats, down from 50. The DPJ secured 50 seats, an increase of 12. The Komei Party won 11 seats, up by one seat. The SDP retained two seats. (end)