1983 Japanese general election

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1983 Japanese general election
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg
  1980 18 December 1983 1986  

All 511 seats in the House of Representatives of Japan
256 seats needed for a majority
Turnout67.94% (Decrease2.svg6.63pp)
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Yasuhiro Nakasone 19821127.jpg
Masashi Ishibashi.jpg
Yoshikatsu-Takeiri-3.png
Leader Yasuhiro Nakasone Masashi Ishibashi Yoshikatsu Takeiri
Party Liberal Democratic Socialist Kōmeitō
Last election47.88%, 284 seats19.31%, 107 seats9.03%, 33 seats
Seats won25011258
Seat changeDecrease2.svg34Increase2.svg5Increase2.svg25
Popular vote25,982,78511,065,0825,745,751
Percentage45.76%19.49%10.12%
SwingDecrease2.svg2.12ppIncrease2.svg0.18ppIncrease2.svg1.09pp

 Fourth partyFifth party
 
Ryosaku-Sasaki-1.png
The-Zenei-1967-January-Special-1.png
Leader Sasaki Ryōsaku Tetsuzo Fuwa
Party Democratic Socialist Communist
Last election6.60%, 32 seats9.83%, 29 seats
Seats won3826
Seat changeIncrease2.svg6Decrease2.svg3
Popular vote4,129,9075,302,485
Percentage7.27%9.34%
SwingIncrease2.svg0.67ppDecrease2.svg0.49pp

1983 JAPAN GENERAL ELECTION, combined vote share.svg
Districts shaded according to winners' vote strength

Prime Minister before election

Yasuhiro Nakasone
Liberal Democratic

Elected Prime Minister

Yasuhiro Nakasone
Liberal Democratic

General elections were held in Japan on 18 December 1983 to elect the 511 members of the House of Representatives. The voter turnout was 67.94%, the lowest it had ever been in post-war history up to that point, and a low which would not be surpassed until ten years later.

Contents

Contrary to pre-election polls by national daily papers which projected a comfortable majority for the LDP, the latter party lost 34 seats compared to the previous election, falling six seats short of the 256 needed for majority control. As a result, the major conservative party was forced to form a majority coalition government for the first time since 1948. [1] In order to do so, the LDP formed a coalition with the New Liberal Club, a move which JSP leader Masashi Ishibashi called a "betrayal of the electorate." [2]

It is likely that the LDP's losses resulted in great part due to running too many candidates and thus falling prey to the spoiler effect. The biggest winner among the opposition was Kōmeitō, which saw an increase in terms of both seats as well as the popular vote that exceeded all of the other parties. This election also saw considerable tactical voting cooperation between the Japan Socialist Party, Komeito, Socialist Democratic Federation, and Democratic Socialist Party in various combinations, which resulted in varying levels of success for the opposition, but primarily for Komeito's outcome. [1]

Results

Japan House of Representatives 1983.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Liberal Democratic Party 25,982,78545.76250–34
Japan Socialist Party 11,065,08319.49112+5
Kōmeitō 5,745,75110.1258+25
Japanese Communist Party 5,302,4859.3426–3
Democratic Socialist Party 4,129,9087.2738+6
New Liberal Club 1,341,5842.368–4
Socialist Democratic Federation 381,0450.6730
Other parties62,3240.110
Independents2,768,7364.8816+5
Total56,779,701100.005110
Valid votes56,779,70199.19
Invalid/blank votes461,1280.81
Total votes57,240,829100.00
Registered voters/turnout84,252,60867.94
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, National Diet

By prefecture

PrefectureTotal
seats
Seats won
LDP JSP Kōmeitō DSP JCP NLC SDF Ind.
Aichi 2294243
Akita 8431
Aomori 7511
Chiba 169331
Ehime 963
Fukui 4211
Fukuoka 1984322
Fukushima 127311
Gifu 95211
Gunma 10631
Hiroshima 127221
Hokkaido 2289113
Hyōgo 2065432
Ibaraki 1263111
Ishikawa 651
Iwate 8611
Kagawa 651
Kagoshima 1183
Kanagawa 1935443
Kōchi 52111
Kumamoto 10721
Kyoto 1041221
Mie 95211
Miyagi 9621
Miyazaki 6321
Nagano 138311
Nagasaki 95211
Nara 511111
Niigata 151041
Ōita 73211
Okayama 105221
Okinawa 52111
Osaka 26657341
Saga 541
Saitama 15723111
Shiga 52111
Shimane 5311
Shizuoka 1463122
Tochigi 105311
Tokushima 5311
Tokyo 43146113621
Tottori 431
Toyama 642
Wakayama 63111
Yamagata 8521
Yamaguchi 9621
Yamanashi 532
Total5112501125838268316

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References

  1. 1 2 Baerwald, Hans H. (1984). "Japan's December 1983 House of Representatives Election: The Return of Coalition Politics". Asian Survey. 24 (3): 265–278. doi:10.2307/2644066. ISSN   0004-4687. JSTOR   2644066.
  2. "ELECCIONS". Dossier-CIDOB (2): 6–8. 1983. ISSN   1132-6093. JSTOR   40591549.