Japan - July 2025
Ruling party loses majority in upper house election
On 20 July, Japan held an election for the House of Councillors (upper house) in which half (125) of the total 248 seats were contested. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Komeito, won 47 seats combined, falling short of the 50 seats needed to retain their majority. The opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan maintained its standing with 22 seats, but the conservative populist Sanseito party made gains, securing 14 seats, 13 more than it had won three years prior. Voter turnout was 58.5 per cent, an increase from 52.1 per cent in the 2022 election. Women’s representation in the upper house increased from 25.5 per cent in the previous election to 29.4 per cent. The recent election comes after the ruling party’s losses in the October 2024 snap election, marking the LDP’s first loss of majorities in both legislative houses since its founding.
Sources: Nippon, IPU Parline, Japan Times, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Council of Foreign Affairs
