IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Japan

Japan

126,854,745
Population (as of Feb. 8, 2019)

104,083,563
Registered Voters (as of Oct. 27, 2024)

58.16%
Average Turnout

21
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.820
Regimes of the World Classification: Liberal Democracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: July 17, 1980
Ratified Date: June 25, 1985

SIGI* Score: 32.9
Level of Discrimination: Medium
*Social Institutions and Gender Index (2023)

CRPD Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: Sept. 28, 2007
Ratified Date: Jan. 20, 2014

HDI* Score: 0.925
Category: Very High
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Japanese House of Representatives	Shugiin	Lower House
Japanese House of Councillors	Sangiin	Upper House

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: Emperor Naruhito (since 1 May 2019) *
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ishiba SHIGERU (since 1 October 2024)
Assembly: Japan has a bicameral Diet (Kokkai) consisting of the House of Councillors (Sangiin) with 248 seats and the House of Representatives (Shugiin) with 465 seats.

* Japan's emperor serves as a symbolic figurehead of the nation's past. Unlike other monarchies, the emperor of Japan is not the nominal head of state. Japan's Constitution, written in 1947, demoted the emperor to a “symbol of the state and of the unity of the people,” stripping the emperor of all “powers related to government.”

Description of electoral system:

Prime Minister is appointed by parliament.
In the House of Councillors (Sangiin), 148 members are directly elected in multi-seat districts. The remaining 100 members are elected via a nationwide proportional representation system. All members serve 6-year terms.
In the House of Representatives (Shugiin), 289 members are directly elected in single-seat districts. The remaining 176 members are elected in multi-seat districts through a party-list proportional representation system. All members serve 6-year terms.

Elections

2025-07-20
Japanese House of Councillors
Votes -
Registered 104,083,563
Turnout -

2024-10-27
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 55,935,743
Registered 103,880,749
Turnout 53.85

2022-07-10
Japanese House of Councillors
Votes 54,653,462
Registered 105,019,203
Turnout 52.04

2021-10-22
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 58,900,259
Registered 105,622,759
Turnout 55.76

2019-07-21
Japanese House of Councillors
Votes -
Registered -
Turnout -

2017-10-22
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 56,947,831
Registered 106,091,229
Turnout 53.68

2016-07-10
Japanese House of Councillors
Votes -
Registered -
Turnout -

2014-12-14
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 54,743,087
Registered 103,962,784
Turnout 52.66

2013-07-21
Japanese House of Councillors
Votes 54,798,927
Registered 104,152,590
Turnout 52.61

2012-12-16
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 61,669,473
Registered 103,959,866
Turnout 59.32

2010-07-11
Japanese House of Councillors
Votes 60,255,670
Registered 104,029,135
Turnout 57.92

2009-08-30
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 72,003,538
Registered 103,949,442
Turnout 69.27

2007-07-29
Japanese House of Councillors
Votes 60,813,927
Registered 103,710,035
Turnout 58.64

2005-09-11
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 69,532,186
Registered 103,067,966
Turnout 67.46

2004-07-11
Japanese House of Councillors
Votes 57,990,757
Registered 102,507,526
Turnout 56.57

2003-11-09
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 61,196,418
Registered 102,232,944
Turnout 59.86

2001-07-29
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 61,196,418
Registered 102,232,944
Turnout 59.86

2001-07-29
Japanese House of Councillors
Votes 57,138,887
Registered 101,236,029
Turnout 56.44

2000-06-25
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 62,764,239
Registered 100,433,798
Turnout 62.49

1998-07-12
Japanese House of Councillors
Votes 58,280,396
Registered 99,048,700
Turnout 58.84

1996-10-20
Japanese House of Representatives
Votes 58,262,930
Registered 97,680,719
Turnout 59.65

Election For	Date	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Japanese House of Councillors	2025-07-20	-	104,083,563	-
Japanese House of Representatives	2024-10-27	55,935,743	103,880,749	53.85
Japanese House of Councillors	2022-07-10	54,653,462	105,019,203	52.04
Japanese House of Representatives	2021-10-22	58,900,259	105,622,759	55.76
Japanese House of Councillors	2019-07-21	-	-	-
Japanese House of Representatives	2017-10-22	56,947,831	106,091,229	53.68
Japanese House of Councillors	2016-07-10	-	-	-
Japanese House of Representatives	2014-12-14	54,743,087	103,962,784	52.66
Japanese House of Councillors	2013-07-21	54,798,927	104,152,590	52.61
Japanese House of Representatives	2012-12-16	61,669,473	103,959,866	59.32
Japanese House of Councillors	2010-07-11	60,255,670	104,029,135	57.92
Japanese House of Representatives	2009-08-30	72,003,538	103,949,442	69.27
Japanese House of Councillors	2007-07-29	60,813,927	103,710,035	58.64
Japanese House of Representatives	2005-09-11	69,532,186	103,067,966	67.46
Japanese House of Councillors	2004-07-11	57,990,757	102,507,526	56.57
Japanese House of Representatives	2003-11-09	61,196,418	102,232,944	59.86
Japanese House of Representatives	2001-07-29	61,196,418	102,232,944	59.86
Japanese House of Councillors	2001-07-29	57,138,887	101,236,029	56.44
Japanese House of Representatives	2000-06-25	62,764,239	100,433,798	62.49
Japanese House of Councillors	1998-07-12	58,280,396	99,048,700	58.84
Japanese House of Representatives	1996-10-20	58,262,930	97,680,719	59.65

Voter Turnout

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