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The Special Committee on Political Ethics and Election Law of the House of Representatives (Chaired by Hirotaka Akamatsu) convened a meeting on August 22, during which the reason for the DPJ’s proposal of the legislation to partially amend the Public Offices Election Law and the Act for Establishment of the Council on the House of Representatives Electoral District, which the party submitted to the House of Representatives on June 18, was explained.
Acting Secretary General Shinji Tarutoko, the primary sponsor of the DPJ’s legislation, explained the reason for the proposal as follows. (1) Based on the census in 2010, the Council on the House of Representatives Electoral District of the Cabinet Office should have submitted to the Prime Minister its recommendations on a reapportionment plan for single-seat constituencies of the House of Representatives by February 25 of this year. However, the Supreme Court ruled in March of last year that the current seat distribution system in which there is one seat for each of the 47 prefectures (with the remaining seats distributed among the 253 districts according to their population), as well as the apportionment of constituencies based on this system, were in a state of unconstitutionality. Thus, the work to create a reapportionment plan remains incomplete. (2) Bearing in mind, among other factors, Japan’s financial situation and public opinion, politicians are urged to demonstrate their resolve to put themselves on the line . Tarutoko explained that on the basis of these two reasons, the legislation aims to implement urgent measures, including the immediate correction of the disparity in the value of one vote in the single-seat constituency system of the House of Representatives and the reduction in the number of members of the House of Representatives.
Regarding the correction of the disparity in the value of one vote, the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) has also submitted relevant legislation to the House of Representatives. However, the LDP and the remaining opposition parties refused to attend the meeting of the Special Committee on August 22. Chairman Akamatsu requested opposition parties again for their attendance. Despite the second request, they did not attend, and the proceedings commenced with an approximately 20-minute delay.
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