In 2023, by-elections were held in Japan in order to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors, the two houses of the National Diet of Japan.
April by-elections On 23 April 2023, 5 by-elections were held together with the second phase of the unified local elections (municipal elections except designated major cities), including Yamaguchi 4th district, the seat of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was assassinated on 8 July 2022.
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and opposition Japan Innovation Party both made 1 pickup, flipping an independent and a Democratic Party for the People seat respectively. ConstituencyHouseOutgoing MPPartyMember electedPartyReasonChiba 5th districtHouse of RepresentativesKentaro SonouraIndependent (elected LDP)Arfiya EriLDPResigned on 19 December 2022Wakayama 1st districtHouse of RepresentativesShuhei KishimotoDPPYumi HayashiJIPResigned on 1 September 2022Yamaguchi 2nd districtHouse of RepresentativesNobuo KishiLDPNobuchiyo KishiLDPResigned on 3 February 2023Yamaguchi 4th districtHouse of RepresentativesShinzo AbeLDPShinji YoshidaLDPAssassinated on 8 July 2022Ōita at-large districtHouse of CouncillorsKiyoshi AdachiIndependentLDPResigned on 10 March 2023
October by-elections The October by-elections were held on 22 October 2023 after Nagasaki 4th district representative Seigo Kitamura's death and the resignation of Tokushima-Kōchi at-large district representative Kojiro Takano after beating his secretary. Both representatives were members of the Liberal Democratic Party.
The LDP lost 1 upper house seat to Independent Hajime Hirota who was backed by opposition parties Constitutional Democratic, Communist, and Social Democratic. ConstituencyHouseOutgoing MPPartyMember electedPartyReasonNagasaki 4th districtHouse of RepresentativesSeigo KitamuraLDPLDPDied on 20 May 2023Nagasaki prefectural government, prefectural electoral commission announcements: 令和5年10月22日執行予定 衆議院小選挙区選出議員補欠選挙（長崎県第4区）, retrieved 2023/7/13.Tokushima-Kōchi at-large districtHouse of CouncillorsKōjirō TakanoLDPHajime Hirota IndependentResigned on 22 June 2023
See also Elections in Japan
References