Majority Backs Passing Lower House Seat Cut Bill: Jiji Poll

Tokyo, Jan. 15 (Jiji Press)–Over half of respondents support the enactment of legislation to reduce the number of seats in Japan’s House of Representatives during the upcoming ordinary session of parliament, a Jiji Press opinion poll showed Thursday. The survey found that 56.1 pct of respondents were in favor of enacting the legislation to reduce the size of the 465-seat lower chamber, submitted jointly by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party. Meanwhile, only 15.7 pct expressed opposition. Despite this, the legislation is expected to be scrapped because Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to dissolve the Lower House on Jan. 23, when the ordinary session is set to begin. The measure includes a clause that automatically slashes the number of Lower House seats by 45–25 constituency seats and 20 proportional representation seats–if no agreement is reached between the ruling and opposition blocs on seat reductions within a year of the legislation’s enforcement. Supporters of the JIP were most in favor of the passage, with 81.5 pct backing it. Supporters of the Democratic Party for the People were second, at 76.2 pct, followed by those who back the LDP, at 63.5 pct. Meanwhile, the enactment was opposed by 61.5 pct of supporters of the Japanese Communist Party, most of whose lawmakers are elected through proportional representation. The interview survey, conducted for four days through Monday, covered 2,000 people aged 18 or older across the country. Valid responses were obtained from 58.5 pct of them. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]