General elections were held in Japan on 16 December 2012. The Liberal Democratic Party won a landslide victory, ejecting the Democratic Party from power after three years. It was the fourth worst defeat suffered by a ruling party in Japanese history.

Voting took place in all representatives' constituencies of Japan including proportional blocks, in order to appoint Members of Diet to seats in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the National Diet of Japan.

In July 2012, it was reported that the deputy prime minister Katsuya Okada had approached the Liberal Democratic Party to sound them out about dissolving the House of Representatives and holding the election in January 2013. An agreement was reached in August to dissolve the Diet and hold early elections "shortly" following the passage of a bill to raise the national consumption tax. Some right-wing observers asserted that as the result of introducing the consumption tax to repay the Japanese public debt, the DPJ lost around 75% of its pre-election seats.

Background The LDP had governed Japan for all but three years since 1955. However, in the 2009 election, the LDP suffered the worst defeat of a sitting government in modern Japanese history. Due to the characteristics of the Japanese election system, DPJ candidates won 308 seats in the House of Representatives (64.2% of seats), enabling Yukio Hatoyama to become prime minister. Since then, Japan had had two other prime ministers, Naoto Kan and Yoshihiko Noda. On 16 November, Noda dissolved parliament, thus allowing for a new election in a month's time, citing the lack of funds to carry on governmental functions and the need for an emergency budget.

Dissatisfaction with the DPJ-led government and the former LDP-led government led to the formation of several grassroots movements, collectively known as the "third pole," to counter the two major parties. The former Governor of Tokyo Shintarō Ishihara announced the renaming and reformation of the Sunrise Party on 14 November 2012; Ishihara co-lead the party with Takeo Hiranuma."New political party to be named 'Tachiagare Nippon' (Stand up Japan)" On 17 November 2012 Mayor of Osaka Tōru Hashimoto and former Tokyo Governor Shintarō Ishihara announced the merger of the Japan Restoration Party and the Sunrise Party as a third force to contend the 16 December 2012 general election.Japan Today/Associated Press, "Ishihara, Hashimoto announce 'third force' in Japanese politics", Japan Today, 18 November 2012 It is Japan's first national political party that is based outside of Tokyo.Johnston, Eric, "Nippon Ishin no Kai: Local but with national outlook ", Japan Times, 3 October 2012, p. 3

On 23 November Mayor of Nagoya Takashi Kawamura, former state minister Shizuka Kamei and former farm minister Masahiko Yamada joined forces together to launch Tax Cuts Japan – Oppose TPP – Zero Nuclear Party as another "third pole" national political party. On 28 November, the Governor of Shiga Yukiko Kada in Ōtsu announced the establishment of an anti-nuclear and gender equality focused party known as the Tomorrow Party of Japan, becoming the second national party based outside of Tokyo. Concurrently, the president of DPJ splinter group People's Life First, Ichirō Ozawa, dissolved the party, merging it into the Tomorrow Party. Tax Cuts Japan – Oppose TPP – Zero Nuclear Party and Japan Future Party attempted to merge with the aim of further countering the major and pro-nuclear parties. On 27 November Tax Cuts Japan – Oppose TPP – Zero Nuclear Party officially announced a merger with Tomorrow, with party co-leader Mashahiko Yamada saying, "We would also like to raise our hands in joining because our ways of thinking are the same."

Opinion polls Graph of poll results since 2009 Parties' approval ratings from August to December 2009Date DPJ LDP NKP YP JCP SDP Other No Party Undecided 19–20 August(after GE) 42.0% 18.9% 2.2% 0.2% 1.2% 2.7% 2.0% 26.0% 4.3% 10–12 October 39.7% 16.7% 3.8% 0.2% 0.8% 3.0% 0.3% 29.1% 5.9% 6–8 November 37.7% 14.1% 3.8% 0.5% 1.6% 1.6% 0.3% 33.8% 6.3% 11–13 December 35.6% 17.1% 1.6% 0.2% 2.3% 1.2% 0.3% 34.6% 5.8% Parties' approval ratings from 2010Date DPJ LDP NKP YP JCP SDP Other No Party Undecided 9–11 January 34.9% 18.3% 3.3% 1.2% 1.9% 0.8% 0.6% 33.8% 5.2% 5–7 February 30.0% 18.2% 2.3% 1.2% 3.0% 1.1% 0.3% 37.6% 6.2% 5–7 March 25.8% 17.1% 2.7% 3.5% 2.1% 1.0% 0.5% 41.7% 5.6% 9–11 April 22.2% 16.1% 3.6% 2.9% 2.5% 1.1% 1.0% 44.4% 6.2% 5–7 May 20.8% 17.9% 3.0% 3.1% 2.2% 0.9% 1.8% 44.4% 7.0% 11–13 May(Before Kan) 30.7% 17.0% 3.8% 1.9% 2.8% 1.8% 1.2% 35.2% 5.7% 11–13 June 34.3% 15.8% 2.9% 2.7% 1.6% 1.5% 0.9% 32.7% 7.6% 17–19 July 29.8% 20.1% 3.2% 8.6% 2.7% 1.4% 0.7% 27.4% 6.1% 6–8 August 28.9% 19.5% 3.1% 7.4% 2.3% 0.7% 0.4% 30.4% 7.3% 18–20 September 36.2% 18.8% 3.2% 4.2% 1.5% 1.0% 0.5% 29.5% 5.2% 9–11 October 29.6% 21.5% 2.6% 4.2% 1.8% 1.0% 0.4% 33.6% 5.3% 5–7 November 24.1% 22.1% 3.3% 4.6% 2.9% 0.2% 0.7% 35.9% 6.2% 10–12 December 21.3% 22.6% 3.1% 3.2% 2.6% 1.2% 0.6% 39.0% 6.4% Parties' approval ratings from 2011Date DPJ LDP NKP JCP SDP YP Other No Party Undecided 8–10 January 21.9% 22.0% 2.9% 3.7% 1.8% 1.4% 0.3% 40.7% 5.3% 11–13 February 20.2% 21.7% 3.9% 2.9% 2.3% 1.0% 0.6% 42.1% 5.5% 15–17 April 19.2% 23.3% 2.8% 2.7% 2.2% 0.8% 0.4% 41.9% 6.7% 13–15 May 17.6% 22.6% 3.7% 1.8% 2.6% 0.7% 0.8% 45.2% 5.0% 10–12 June 20.4% 21.1% 4.5% 2.3% 1.4% 0.8% 0.3% 43.1% 6.0% 8–10 July 13.6% 23.4% 3.4% 2.8% 2.2% 1.0% 0.2% 46.2% 7.2% 5–7 August 16.4% 25.0% 3.0% 2.7% 2.7% 0.8% 0.4% 42.8% 6.3% 9–11 September 24.9% 19.1% 2.9% 1.7% 1.4% 1.0% 0.1% 44.1% 4.7% 8–10 October 22.6% 18.4% 4.1% 2.2% 1.9% 1.5% 0.3% 42.6% 6.4% 11–13 November 20.9% 20.4% 3.3% 2.9% 1.6% 1.1% 0.1% 42.9% 6.7% 9–11 December 16.9% 18.3% 3.4% 4.4% 1.8% 0.7% 0.8% 45.5% 8.3% Parties' approval ratings from 2012Date DPJ LDP NKP JCP SDP YP Other No Party Undecided 7–9 January 18.5% 18.3% 3.7% 2.7% 2.0% 0.7% 1.0% 46.1% 7.2% 10–12 February 17.6% 16.9% 3.1% 2.9% 1.6% 0.6% 0.8% 49.4% 7.2% 9–11 March 18.1% 17.2% 2.9% 2.9% 2.6% 1.1% 1.1% 48.7% 5.4% 6–8 April 16.7% 18.8% 2.8% 1.2% 2.2% 0.8% 1.5% 49.2% 6.8% 11–13 May 18.4% 19.9% 3.8% 1.1% 0.5% 2.2% 1.5% 47.1% 5.6% 8–10 June 16.9% 20.9% 2.4% 1.7% 0.3% 2.7% 1.3% 47.3% 6.6% 6–8 July 15.2% 19.8% 2.9% 1.7% 0.3% 1.1% 0.7% 52.0% 6.3% 10–12 August 14.3% 23.9% 3.0% 2.4% 0.1% 2.1% 0.9% 45.9% 6.6% 7–9 September 16.7% 20.1% 4.5% 1.9% 0.6% 1.3% 2.3% 45.2% 6.9% 6–8 October 13.8% 26.2% 2.8% 1.6% 0.4% 1.2% 3.4% 45.2% 5.4% 9–11 November12.7%25.0%3.0%2.0%0.5%1.2%3.0% 45.8%7.4% 7–9 December16.1%26.6%4.1%2.7%0.7%2.1%6.9% 33.5%7.4%Graph of the current Cabinet Approval/Disapproval Ratings

Party polling for the 180 proportional seats Poll source Date(s)administered Undecided or declined DPJ LDP JRP PLF↓TPJ NKP JCP YP SDP Asahi Shimbun 15–16 November 2012 44% 16% 23% 6% 1% 3% 2% 2% 1% Yomiuri Shimbun 16–17 November 2012 43% 13% 22% 13% — — — — — Asahi Shimbun 17–18 November 2012 46% 15% 23% 16% — 4% — — — Kyodo News 17–18 November 2012 43% 10.8% 23% — — — — — — Yomiuri Shimbun 23–25 November 2012 — 10% 25% 14% 2% 6% — 2% — Kyodo News 24–25 November 2012 45% 8.4% 18.7% 10.3% 2% 4% — 3% — Asahi Shimbun 24–25 November 2012 41% 13% 23% 9% 2% 4% — 3% — 28 November 2012 — 13% 23% 15% 5% 4% — — — Kyodo News 1–2 December 2012 — 9.3% 18.4% 10.4% 3.5% 4.8% — — — Asahi Shimbun 1–2 December 2012 41% 15% 20% 9% 3% 4% 3% 3% 1% Yomiuri Shimbun 30 Nov.-2 Dec 2012 — 13% 19% 13% 5% — — 5% — NHK 7–9 December 2012 — 10% 21% 11% — — — — — Yomiuri Shimbun 7–9 December 2012 — 12% 29% 11% 3% — — — — Asahi Shimbun 8–9 December 2012 43% 14% 22% 8% 2% 5% 4% 2% — Kyodo News 12–13 December 2012 40% 11% 23% 10% — — — — —

PM polling Poll source Date(s)administered NodaDPJ AbeLDP IshiharaJRP Kyodo News 3–4 November 2012 29.3% 40% — Asahi Shimbun 15–16 November 2012 31% 33% — Yomiuri Shimbun 16–17 November 2012 31% 37% — Kyodo News 17–18 November 2012 32.1% 35% — Yomiuri Shimbun 23–25 November 2012 19% 29% 22% Kyodo News 24–25 November 2012 30% 33.9% — Yomiuri Shimbun 30 Nov.-2 Dec 2012 21% 28% — NHK 7–9 December 2012 19% 28% — Kyodo News 8–9 December 2012 31% 39% — Kyodo News 12–13 December 2012 29% 34% —

Pre-election composition As of official announcement (kōji [=deadline for candidate registration, legal campaign start, start of early voting on following day]) on 4 DecemberYomiuri Shimbun: House of Representatives election 2012 – note that the government had lost its majority, already slim at the time of dissolution of the House of Representatives (16 November), due to further defections during the positioning of candidates for the election. ↓ 139 107 1 233 LDP & NKP Other opposition Incumbent government (DPJ & PNP)

Results

By prefecture PrefectureTotalseatsSeats wonLDPDPJJRPNKPYourTPJSDPPNPInd.Aichi15132Akita33Aomori44Chiba13112Ehime44Fukui33Fukuoka11101Fukushima541Gifu55Gunma55Hiroshima761Hokkaido12111Hyōgo12822Ibaraki7511Ishikawa33Iwate4121Kagawa321Kagoshima541Kanagawa1814112Kōchi33Kumamoto541Kyoto642Mie532Miyagi651Miyazaki33Nagano532Nagasaki44Nara431Niigata66Ōita33Okayama541Okinawa431Osaka193124Saga33Saitama151311Shiga44Shimane22Shizuoka862Tochigi541Tokushima33Tokyo2521211Tottori22Toyama33Wakayama321Yamagata321Yamaguchi44Yamanashi3111Total3002372714942115

By PR block PR blockTotalseatsSeats wonLDPJRPDPJNKPYourJCPTPJSDPNPDChūgoku115222Hokkaido831211Hokuriku–Shinetsu1143211Kinki (Kansai)2971034221Kyushu2174331111Northern Kanto206433211Shikoku62211Southern Kanto226542311Tohoku145231111Tōkai217442211Tokyo175332211Total18057403022148711

Aftermath

As the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won 294 seats and their allies, the New Komeito Party, 31 seats, a coalition of the two parties would be able to form a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives, enabling them to overrule the House of Councillors. The significant swing back towards conservative politics was attributed to economic anxieties, including fear of falling behind China. Despite this landslide victory, Shinzo Abe acknowledged that his party won mainly because of voter antipathy towards the Democratic Party and not due to a resurgence in popularity for the LDP.

The election was an unmitigated disaster for the Democratic Party, which lost three-quarters of its 230 seats in the lower house to finish with just 57. In addition, seven members of the Cabinet lost their seats, the most ever in an election. Naoto Kan, who preceded Noda as prime minister, lost his constituency as well. Overall, this marked the worst performance by a ruling party in the post–World War II era. As a result, Yoshihiko Noda resigned from his post as party president.

The Tomorrow Party of Japan, which formed shortly before the election, consisted mostly of incumbents defecting from the Democratic Party. Most of these incumbents were unseated, causing the party to lose 86% of its strength only weeks after forming. Both the Japan Restoration Party and Your Party emerged as viable players in the Diet, while the traditional left parties Social Democratic Party and Japanese Communist Party continued to decline in strength and relevance.

The voter turnout of 59.3% was the lowest since World War II.

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