Full Breakdown
Japan’s Ruling Coalition Secures Agreement to Cut 31 Proportional-Representation Seats
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In this breakdown
01
Agreement Reached on Lower House Seat Reduction
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), its coalition partner the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), and the opposition Democratic Party for the People (DPP) announced that secretaries-general have reached a consensus to eliminate 31 proportional-representation seats from the House of Representatives. The deal ends a weeks-long standoff over the size of the cut and paves the way for a bill to be introduced before the current Diet session concludes in early December.
02
Main Elements of the Revised Proposal
The LDP-backed plan combines the seat reduction with several electoral-system reforms:
- Introduction of a joint-candidate list that allows two or more parties to submit a combined slate of proportional-representation candidates.
- Adoption of a modified Sainte-Lague method, which favours smaller parties in seat allocation.
- Merger of the Chugoku and Shikoku proportional-representation blocs, reducing the total number of blocs from eleven to ten.
- Increase in the vote share required for candidates who lose constituency races to qualify for a proportional seat.
- Provision for seats to remain vacant when insufficient candidates are available, and a lower threshold for forfeiting election deposits in such cases.
- A study on the handling of political subsidies when a lawmaker elected via proportional representation switches parties.
03
Party Positions and Rationale
The DPP supported the compromise because the joint-list system and the modified Sainte-Lague method address its long-standing demand for reforms that benefit smaller parties. Deputy leader Motohisa Furukawa noted that, aside from the exact number of seats, the DPP’s other reform ideas were incorporated.
JIP co-leader Fumitake Fujita acknowledged that the 31-seat cut falls short of the party’s original goal of a 45-seat reduction, but stressed that securing DPP backing allowed the coalition to achieve roughly 70 % of its pledge to realise a 10 % overall reduction.
The LDP framed the measure as a “temporary” step toward broader political reform and a condition for maintaining its coalition stability, especially given its lack of an Upper House majority.
04
Official Statements
- “The DPP has agreed to support us. We’ll move forward from here, having achieved about 70 % of our pledge to realize a 10 %, or roughly 45 seat, reduction in Lower House seats.” — Fumitake Fujita, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party
05
Legislative Timeline
Party leaders plan to submit the related bill during the remainder of the current Diet session, taking care to avoid interference with ongoing deliberations on a consumption-tax cut. The bill’s passage is expected before the session ends in early December.