Japan’s Election Under Fire: Lawyers Challenge House of Representatives Vote Over ‘One-Vote Disparity’ Controversy
Newsfrom Japan
Society 2024.10.28 11:48
On the morning of the 28th, a group led by lawyer Hidetoshi Masunaga argued that the “one-vote disparity” in the House of Representatives election, which was counted on the 27th, had not been corrected and that the value of votes was unequal and therefore unconstitutional. filed a lawsuit in Fukuoka High Court and other courts seeking to invalidate the election.
In the afternoon, part of the Masunaga Lawyers Group and a group including lawyer Kuniaki Yamaguchi are scheduled to file a lawsuit.
At a press conference in Fukuoka City after filing the lawsuit, attorney Takanori Hirai emphasized, “Elections are the only place in national power where the people can be involved.” “I doubt whether it was a legitimate election,” he said, noting that the law for establishing a council to consider electoral district division clearly states that the difference between votes must be less than 2 times.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, in this House of Representatives election, Hokkaido’s 3rd ward had the highest number of voters on the day before the announcement, at 461,457, while Tottori’s 1st ward had the least, at 224,060. According to an estimate, the disparity per vote is 2.06 times, which is down from 2.08 times in the previous House of Representatives election in 2021.
A revised public election law was enacted in December 2022 that changed the number of single-seat constituencies by increasing by 10 and decreasing by 10. Based on the 2020 census, the maximum gap was less than double, but the gap has widened since then.
The plaintiffs claim that the election is invalid because it violates the constitutional requirement for equal voting value. Lawyer Masunaga and his group also complain that it violates the Council Establishment Act, which requires the difference between votes to be less than double.
A lawyer enters the Fukuoka High Court to file a lawsuit over the “one-vote disparity” in the House of Representatives election in Fukuoka City on the morning of the 28th.
Lawyers heading to the Sapporo High Court to file a lawsuit over the “one-vote disparity” in the House of Representatives election in Sapporo on the morning of the 28th.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]