1980 Japanese general election

Japanese general election, 1980

22 June 1980
All 511 seats to the House of Representatives of Japan 256 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party      JSP    Leader Masayoshi Ōhira Ichio Asukata Party Liberal Democratic Socialist Last election 248 seats, 44.59% 107 seats, 19.71% Seats won 284 107 Seat change +36 ±0 Popular vote 28,262,441 11,400,747 Percentage 47.88% 19.31%
Prime Minister before election Masayoshi Ōhira Liberal Democratic Prime Minister-designate Masayoshi Ōhira (deceased) / Zenkō Suzuki Liberal Democratic

In Japan on 16 May 1980, Japan Socialist Party (JSP) brought a no-confidence motion to the Diet, mentioning corruption and rises in public utility charges as reasons for the House of Representatives of Japan (lower house) to withdraw its backing from the government. Unexpectedly, 69 Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) members of the Diet from the Fukuda Takeo, Miki Takeo and Hidenao Nakagawa factions abstained from voting on the motion. The government was defeated by 56 votes in total of 243 and resigned. For the first time elections for the both houses of the Diet were called in June 1980. In the elections of both the houses LDP gained a majority. The election results for the lower house are shown in the table below.

Election results

Vote share LDP   47.88% JSP   19.31% JCP   9.83% KP   9.03% DSP   6.60% NLC   2.99% SDF   0.68% Independents   3.48% Others   0.18%

Parliament seats LDP   55.58% JSP   20.94% KP   6.46% DSP   6.26% JCP   5.68% NLC   2.35% SDF   0.59% Independents   2.15%

References

• Mahendra Prakash (2004), Coalition Experience in Japanese Politics: 1993-2003, New Delhi: JNU[1].