Note: In the results above, the seats listed represent the total number of seats won, but the vote counts and percentages represent the Prefectural District votes. 

At stake in this election:

• 126 seats in the House of Councillors (Sangi-in)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Emperor AKIHITO
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI
• Assembly: Japan has a bicameral Diet (Kokkai) consisting of the House of Councillors (Sangi-in) with 252 seats and the House of Representatives (Shugi-in) with 500 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The Emperor is N/A N/A.
• In the House of Councillors (Sangi-in), 100 members are through a party-list proportional representation system to serve 6-year terms and 152 members are elected to serve 6-year terms*. In the House of Representatives (Shugi-in), 300 members are elected in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms and 200 members are elected by proportional representation to serve 4-year terms.

* All members of the House of Councillors are elected for six-year terms, with one half the membership renewed every three years.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
  • Leader: Keizo OBUCHI
  • Seats won in this House of Councillors election: 45
  • Seats won in last House of Councillors election: 49
• Party: Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)**
  • Leader: Naoto KAN
  • Seats won in this House of Councillors election: 27
  • Seats won in last House of Councillors election: 0
• Party: Japan Communist Party (JCP)
  • Leader: Tetsuzo FUWA
  • Seats won in this House of Councillors election: 15
  • Seats won in last House of Councillors election: 8
• Party: Komei Party****
  • Leader: Toshiko HAMAYOTSU
  • Seats won in this House of Councillors election: 9
  • Seats won in last House of Councillors election: 0
• Party: Liberal Party
  • Leader: Ichiro OZAWA
  • Seats won in this House of Councillors election: 6
  • Seats won in last House of Councillors election: 3
• Party: Social Democratic Party (SDP)
  • Leader: Takako DOI
  • Seats won in this House of Councillors election: 5
  • Seats won in last House of Councillors election: 16

** The DPJ was formed after the last election.
**** The Komei Party was formed after the last election.

Last Parliamentary election:

• Elections to the House of Councillors were last held on July 23, 1995.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 125,570,246 (July 1997 est.)
• Registered Voters: 98,574,766 (1998)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 64,515,270 (1998)

·         Is Japan a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Japan ratified CEDAW: Yes (25 June 1985)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes 

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 23 (House of Representatives); 43 (House of Councillors)

·         Human Development Index Position: 20 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Japan a signatory to CRPD: Yes (28 September 2007)

·         Has Japan ratified CRPD: Yes (20 January 2014)

·         Population with a disability: 18,835,536 (est.)