Incumbent Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi

Japan

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Japan Prime Minister Koizumi official government portrait Fair use for articles about Koizumi. ... Prime Minister Koizumi official government portrait Fair use for articles about Koizumi. ... // In politics The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... Junichiro Koizumi , born January 8, 1942) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. ... Image File history File links Imperial_Seal_of_Japan. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article Japan#Government and politics. ...

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A general election took place in Japan on November 9, 2003. Incumbent Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of the Liberal Democrat Party won the election but with a reduced majority. The main opposition Democrat Party made considerable gains, winning 177 of the 480 seats in the House of Representatives, its largest share ever. Other traditional parties like the Communist Party and the Social Democrat Party lost a significant numbers of seats, making a two-party system a possibility in future Japanese politics. The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article Japan#Government and politics. ... His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito. ... The following is a traditional list of Emperors of Japan. ... Akihito () (born December 23, 1933) is the current Emperor ) of Japan, the 125th person to hold that title, according to the traditional order of succession. ... The Imperial Household Agency is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japans royal family. ... The Prime Minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣 Naikaku sōri daijin) is the usual English-language term used for the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime Minister of the Cabinet. ... This is a historical list of individuals who have served as Prime Minister of Japan. ... {{nihongo|Shinzo Abe|安倍 晋三|Abe Shinzō|extra=pronounced [abe É•inzoː], born (September 21, 1954 – April 15, 2007) is the current Prime Minister of Japan, elected by a special session of the National Diet on September 26, 2006. ... The Cabinet (内閣, Naikaku) is the executive branch of the government of Japan. ... The most influential part of the executive of the Japanese government are the ministries. ... This article is about the Japanese legislature. ... The House of Councillors (参議院; Sangi-in) is the upper house of the Diet of Japan. ... The House of Representatives (衆議院; Shugi-in) is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. ... In the Judicial System of Japan, the postwar constitution guarantees that all judges shall be independent in the exercise of their conscience and shall be bound only by this constitution and the Laws (Article 76). ... Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Japan ... Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on February 18, 1990. ... Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on July 18, 1993. ... A general election took place in Japan on October 20, 1996. ... Elections to the Shugi-In (House of Representatives) of the Japanese Diet were held on 25 June 2000. ... Political parties in Japan lists political parties in Japan. ... The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as JiyÅ« Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... The Democratic Party of Japan ) is a liberal party in Japan. ... The New Komeito (Japanese: , Kōmeitō), New Komei Party (the -tō suffix means party), or NKP is a political party in Japan formed by Daisaku Ikeda, leader of the Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai. ... The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) (日本共産党), in Japanese known as Nihon Kyōsan-tō is a political party of Japan based on communism. ... The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English) is a political party of Japan. ... } While Japans political mainstream can be described as a one and a half party system, with the LDP being the dominant force, there is room for political extremism to the left and the right. ... The prefectures of Japan are the countrys 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one metropolis (都 to), Tokyo; one circuit (道 dō), Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures (府 fu), Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures (県 ken). ... Monetary policy pertains to the regulation, availability, and cost of credit, while fiscal policy deals with government expenditures, taxes, and debt. ... The primary responsibility for the Japanese foreign policy, as determined by the 1947 constitution, is exercised by the cabinet and subject to the overall supervision of the National Diet. ... Hi CeyCey Despite the burst of the Japanese asset price bubble in the early 1990s and the subsequent slow economic growth, Japan remains a major economic and cultural power. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... // In politics The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... The Prime Minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣 Naikaku sōri daijin) is the usual English-language term used for the head of government of Japan, although the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Prime Minister of the Cabinet. ... Junichiro Koizumi , born January 8, 1942) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. ... The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as JiyÅ« Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... The Democratic Party of Japan ) is a liberal party in Japan. ... The House of Representatives (衆議院; Shugi-in) is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. ... The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) (日本共産党), in Japanese known as Nihon Kyōsan-tō is a political party of Japan based on communism. ... The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English) is a political party of Japan. ... A two-party system is a form of party system where two major political parties dominate the voting in nearly all elections. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article Japan#Government and politics. ...

Background

On October 11, 2003, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi dissolved the House of Representatives of the Diet after he was re-elected as the Liberal Democrat Party chief on September 20. The dissolution was based on Article 7 of the Constitution of Japan, which can be interpreted as saying that the Prime Minister has the power to dissolve the lower house after so advising the Emperor. The election was the first since Koizumi was named Prime Minister in April 2001. The major participants were the Liberal Democrat Party (LDP) and the Democrat Party (DPJ). The LDP retains strong support in rural areas and among older voters due to heavy subsidies in agriculture, while the DPJ has had greater support among youth and in urban areas. However, this has tended to favor the LDP, because sparsely populated rural districts have disproportionate weight in Japan's electoral system. October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Junichiro Koizumi , born January 8, 1942) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. ... The House of Representatives (衆議院; Shugi-in) is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. ... This article is about the Japanese legislature. ... The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as JiyÅ« Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... The Constitution of Japan has been the founding legal document of Japan since 1947. ... His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito. ... The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as JiyÅ« Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... The Democratic Party of Japan ) is a liberal party in Japan. ...

Some of the issues facing candidates were: the ongoing economic recession; reform of the public pension system; the extent of Japan's support of the U.S. in Iraq; Japan's relationship with North Korea; and the privatization of the postal service and Tokyo-area highways. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The last general election of the Lower House took place in June 2000 when Yoshiro Mori was Prime Minister. Elections to the Shugi-In (House of Representatives) of the Japanese Diet were held on 25 June 2000. ... Yoshiro Mori Yoshiro Mori (森 喜朗 Mori Yoshirō, born July 14, 1937) is a Japanese politician who served as the 85th and 86th Prime Minister of Japan from April 5, 2000 to April 26, 2001. ...

Results

For a breakdown of the results by block district with maps, see Results of Japan general election, 2003

National newspapers concluded that the election benefitted the Democrat Party (DPJ) more so than the Liberal Democrat Party (LDP). The DPJ actually garnered the plurality of votes and gained 40 more seats, making it the largest opposition party with a total lower-house membership of 177. Among those in the ruling coalition, only the New Clean Government Party (New Komeito) made gains, bringing its total lower-house membership to 34 from 31 members before the election. Since Prime Minister Koizumi was unable to gain more seats for the LDP based upon his high approval ratings — around 60% — some experts believe the election has left Koizumi a weakened Prime Minister while others point out that several of the Non-partisans were really of LDP, most notably 'Kato Koichi' and LDP had in fact maintained the number of seats. The Democratic Party of Japan ) is a liberal party in Japan. ... The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as JiyÅ« Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... The New Clean Government Party (公明党, Kōmeitō) or NKP, often translated as New Komeito Party, is a political party in Japan affiliated with the religious movement Soka Gakkai. ... Junichiro Koizumi Junichiro Koizumi (小泉 純一郎 Koizumi Junichirō, born January 8, 1942) is a Japanese politician and the 87th, and current, Prime Minister of Japan. ... Junichiro Koizumi Junichiro Koizumi (小泉 純一郎 Koizumi Junichirō, born January 8, 1942) is a Japanese politician and the 87th, and current, Prime Minister of Japan. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ...

The LDP performed well in rural areas while the DPJ performed well in urban areas. The turnout was 59.86%, the second lowest since 1945. The average age of new members of the house was 51.03, 3.2 years younger than in the previous election. Among new members, 302 were born after 1945. After the election, the total number of women in the lower-house decreased to 34 from 35 before the election.

Poll data collected early in the election season and in exit polls highlight the role of swing voters, who accounted for 18% of the total vote. According to Asahi Shimbun, more than half of swing voters voted for the DPJ. These exit polls produced highly contradictory preliminary reports. There was a case where DPJ was predicted to capture up to 230 seats, more than 50 above the actual result. Swing vote is a term used to describe a vote that may go to any of a number of candidates in an election. ... Asahi-OSAKA office Asahi is a common name in Japan, for other uses see Asahi. ...

The Liberal Democrat Party failed to achieve an absolute majority by itself, requiring it to maintain its coalition with the New Clean Government Party and the New Conservative Party. Senior politicians in the LDP attribute the results to disenfranchisement among traditional supporters of the LDP, resulting in an increased dependency on the coalition. Some politicians in the LDP are concerned about the influence of the New Clean Government Party on LDP policy because of the dependency. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as JiyÅ« Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... The New Clean Government Party (公明党, Kōmeitō) or NKP, often translated as New Komeito Party, is a political party in Japan affiliated with the religious movement Soka Gakkai. ... The New Conservative Party (保守新党 Hoshu Shinto) is a now-defunct political party in Japan originally led by Hiroshi Kumagai. ... The New Clean Government Party (公明党, Kōmeitō) or NKP, often translated as New Komeito Party, is a political party in Japan affiliated with the religious movement Soka Gakkai. ...

Some experts believe the Democrat Party has emerged an effective opposition party to the entrenched Liberal Democrat Party. During the campaign, the DPJ produced an itemized policy manifesto — a first in post-war Japanese elections — and publicized a "shadow cabinet" (with Naoto Kan as Prime Minister), which is usually created by political parties during election season in the United Kingdom, for example. The DPJ also criticized the reforms proposed by Koizumi and the LDP’s sluggishness in their implementation, as well as the LDP's position on Iraq while steering clear on other foreign issues. The Democratic Party of Japan ) is a liberal party in Japan. ... The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as JiyÅ« Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... Naoto Kan (菅 直人 Kan Naoto, b. ...

Smaller parties performed poorly. The Social Democrat Party lost 3 seats, bringing their lower-house membership to 6, while the Japanese Communist Party lost 11 seats, bringing their total membership to 9 from 20 before the election. Both parties thus lack the ability to propose a law alone since that requires minimum of 10 members. The New Conservative Party lost 5 seats, lowering their total to 4 seats from 9 seats, and merged with the LDP shortly after the election. The Japanese Communist Party blamed the negative results on the media, which they claimed focused on the LDP and DPJ. The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English) is a political party of Japan. ... The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) (日本共産党), in Japanese known as Nihon Kyōsan-tō is a political party of Japan based on communism. ... The New Conservative Party (保守新党 Hoshu Shinto) is a now-defunct political party in Japan originally led by Hiroshi Kumagai. ... The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) (日本共産党), in Japanese known as Nihon Kyōsan-tō is a political party of Japan based on communism. ...

Although the LDP failed to secure a simple majority, on November 19, the Diet appointed Junichiro Koizumi the Prime Minister in its short special session [1] and, within a month, the LDP regained a majority by absorbing the Conservative Party. November 19 is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article is about the Japanese legislature. ... In a legislature, a special session is a period when the body convenes outside of the normal legislative schedule. ...

Result

Numbers in parentheses indicate seats held before the election. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also known as JiyÅ« Minshutō (自由民主党, or the abbreviation Jimin-tō 自民党) is a liberal conservative political party and the largest political party in Japan, as of 2005. ... The Democratic Party of Japan ) is a liberal party in Japan. ... The New Clean Government Party (公明党, Kōmeitō) or NKP, often translated as New Komeito Party, is a political party in Japan affiliated with the religious movement Soka Gakkai. ... The Japanese Communist Party (JCP) (日本共産党), in Japanese known as Nihon Kyōsan-tō is a political party of Japan based on communism. ... The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also abbreviated as SDP in English) is a political party of Japan. ... The New Conservative Party (保守新党 Hoshu Shinto) is a now-defunct political party in Japan originally led by Hiroshi Kumagai. ... The Liberal League; Japanese Jiyu Rengo (自由連合); is a free market liberal party in Japan. ... The Midori no kaigi (みどりの会議), known in English as Environmental Green Political Assembly was a right-wing political party in Japan which has a mix of platforms. ... Partisan may refer to: A member of a lightly-equipped irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation. ...

Another presentation of the results

(Source: Adam Carr's Election Archive, using figures from Yomiuri Online)

 NATIONAL SUMMARY ========================================================================== These figures are an aggregation of votes cast in the Block constituencies. Votes and seats are compared with those won at the 2000 elections. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seats Party Votes % Con Blk Total -------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Clean Government 8,733,444 14.8 (+01.7) 9 25 34 +05 Communist 4,586,172 07.7 (-03.6) - 9 9 -11 Democrat 22,095,606 37.4 (+11.9) 105 72 177 +48 Liberal Democrat 20,660,185 34.9 (+06.2) 168 69 237 -02 Social Democrat 3,072,390 05.2 (-04.2) 1 5 6 -09 Others - 17 - 17 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 59,102,797 300 180 480 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Con" means seats won in single-member constituencies. "Blk" means seats won by proportional representation in the Block constituencies. Votes for the New Conservative Party are included with the Liberal Democrats, with whom they merged after the elections. 

Reference

• Analysis of the general election (in Japanese)

External links

• BBC - Japanese election guide
• The Japan Times - LDP bloc weathers DPJ onslaught

Japanese general elections

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