1993 Japanese general election

Japanese general election, 1993

23 July 1993
All 511 seats to the House of Representatives of Japan 256 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	67.26% (6.05%)
Majority party Minority party Third party   Leader Kiichi Miyazawa Sadao Yamahana Tsutomu Hata Party LDP Socialist Shinseito Last election 275 seats, 46.14% 136 seats, 24.35% New Seats won 223 70 55 Seat change 52 66 19 Popular vote 22,999,646 9,687,588 6,341,364 Percentage 36.62% 15.43% 10.10% Swing 9.49% 8.96% N/A   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Koshiro Ishida Morihiro Hosokawa Tetsuzo Fuwa Party Komeito New Party JCP Last election 45 seats, 7.98% New 16 seats, 7.96% Seats won 51 35 15 Seat change 6 35 1 Popular vote 5,114,351 5,053,981 4,834,587 Percentage 8.14% 8.05% 7.70% Swing 0.16% N/A 0.26%   Seventh party Eighth party Ninth party   Leader Keigo Ōuchi Masayoshi Takemura Satsuki Eda Party Democratic Socialist NP-Sakigake Socialist Democratic Last election 14 seats, 4.84% New 4 seats, 0.86% Seats won 15 13 4 Seat change 1 3 0 Popular vote 2,205,682 1,658,097 461,169 Percentage 3.51% 2.64% 0.73% Swing 1.33% N/A 0.13%
Prime Minister before election Kiichi Miyazawa LDP Prime Minister-designate Morihiro Hosokawa New Party

Japan held a nationwide election to the House of Representatives, the more powerful lower house of the National Diet, on July 18, 1993.

Overview

Japan's relatively larger growth compared to other developed countries during the 80's that was the result of the real estate bubble had crashed and the 1993 election occurred at a time when the economy went into recession, dimming prospects for the ruling LDP. The consumption tax and the Recruit scandal as well, seriously affected the popularity of the long-time ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Along with the opposition MPs, members of some factions of the LDP cast a vote of no confidence against prime minister Kiichi Miyazawa; in response Miyazawa decided to dissolve the House of Representatives. Some LDP dissidents then left the party and formed new parties. The rebellion within the LDP was largely led by former finance and agriculture minister Tsutomu Hata and political fixer Ichiro Ozawa.

Until the 1993 election, rural voters effectively had three times the weight in elections that urban voters had, and the LDP governments had subsidized rural areas at the expense or urban taxpayers. The LDP had also promoted regulations that helped entrenched businesses at the expense of consumers, and its leaders had historically had difficulty being prominent on the world stage. There were hopes prior to the election that the Hata-led coalition could change this situation.

Results

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party lost its overall majority for the first time since 1983 and also failed to form the government for the first time since 1955. They were replaced by an eight-party coalition headed by Morihiro Hosokawa, who was elected prime minister.

The coalition government collapsed after 10 months when the Socialist Party and New Party Sakigake left the government. The Socialist Party decided to form a Grand coalition government with Liberal Democratic Party in 1994, returning the LDP to power.

Vote share LDP   36.62% JSP   15.43% JRP   10.10% KP   8.14% JNP   8.05% JCP   7.70% DSP   3.51% NPH   2.64% SDF   0.73% Independents   6.85% Others   0.23%

Parliament seats LDP   43.64% JSP   13.70% JRP   10.76% KP   9.98% JNP   6.85% JCP   2.94% DSP   2.94% NPH   2.54% SDF   0.78% Independents   5.87%