A summary of the types and characteristics of electoral districts in Japanese elections.
Overview
Types of Electoral Districts
Types of electoral districts are important elements in Japan's election system. Various electoral district systems exist, including single-member district system, multi-member district system, medium-sized district system, and proportional representation system, each with different characteristics and advantages/disadvantages. The House of Representatives adopts a parallel voting system combining single-member districts and proportional representation, while the House of Councillors combines district-based and proportional representation systems. These systems form the foundation of Japan's democracy.
election system
single-member district
proportional representation
multi-member district
medium-sized district
House of Representatives
House of Councillors
politics
| code | slug | name | description | application | districtCount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | single-member-district | Single-member District System | A system where one representative is elected from each electoral district. | House of Representatives single-member districts | 289 |
| 02 | multi-member-district | Multi-member District System | A system where multiple representatives (6 or more) are elected from each electoral district. | House of Councillors electoral districts (6 or more seats) | 13 |
| 03 | medium-sized-district | Medium-sized District System | A system where 2 to 6 representatives are elected from each electoral district. | House of Councillors electoral districts (2 seats) | 32 |
| 04 | proportional-representation | Proportional Representation System | An electoral system where seats are allocated according to vote share. | House of Representatives proportional representation (11 blocks), House of Councillors proportional representation (1 national district) | 11 |
| 05 | combined-district | Combined District | An electoral district established by combining two or more prefectures. | House of Councillors electoral districts (Tottori-Shimane, Tokushima-Kochi) | 2 |
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications | Types of Elections official
- House of Councillors | Evolution of the House of Councillors Election System official
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications | Revision of House of Representatives Single-member District Boundaries official
- Japanese Elections - Types of Elections and Electoral Districts - Weblio Dictionary wikipedia