25 June 2000 2003 → 5 April 2000 25 September 1999 233 127 | Turnout 64.45% 271 95 | |
 | ||
239 seats
38.63% (district)
32.76% (block) 52 seats
10.62% (district)
16.10% (block) | ||
Elections to the Shugi-In (House of Representatives) of the Japanese Diet were held on 25 June 2000.
Contents
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) maintained a majority in the House of Representatives, but its total percentage of seats shrank from 65% to 56%, and its two coalition partners also lost several seats. Two cabinet members, Takashi Fukaya and Tokuichiro Tamazawa, lost their seats. The Democratic Party of Japan made major gains under the leadership of Yukio Hatoyama.
Background
Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi suffered a stroke in April 2000 and was replaced by Yoshiro Mori. Although the term limit for the House of Representatives would have been reached in October 2000, Mori dissolved the House on June 2 in what became popularly known as the Divine Nation Dissolution (神の国解散) due to a controversial statement by Mori prior to the election, which preceded a slump in government approval ratings from 40% to 20%. The LDP government advocated continued public works spending while the opposition advocated less spending and more governmental reforms.
The Social Democratic Party would leave the coalition with the LDP and re-join the opposition after years of coalition with the ideologically contrasting LDP.
Meanwhile, the Komeito Party a centrist party with roots from the Soka Gakkai based on the Nichiren Buddhist movement. Despite almost decades of opposition against the LDP. Shifted from the centre towards conservatism, And an electoral alliance between the once rivals has been in affect since the Japanese General election in 2000. For the LDP, Despite not being able to win an absolute majority of votes by itself in further elections. The Komeito party has been counted on since then to ensure a stable governing majority rule for the LDP.
Results
The House of Representatives consisted of 480 members, 300 elected from single-member constituencies and 180 elected on a proportional basis from eleven multi-member constituencies known as Block constituencies.