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2015 March 25 - 31 [POLITICS]

Fukuoka High Court: vote-value gaps in 2014 general election unconstitutional

The Fukuoka High Court on March 25 ruled that vote-value disparities in the general election in December last year are unconstitutional.

The court ruled vote-value inequality to be unconstitutional for the first time among court battles in 17 upper courts and high court branches that a group of lawyers had launched to obtain the nullification of the December general election on the grounds that the vote value disparity of up to 2.13 to 1 violates the principle of equality of all voters guaranteed by the Constitution.

In addition to the Fukuoka ruling, of the 17 courts, 10 already handed down decisions. Seven courts ruled the election to have been “in a state of unconstitutionality” and three “constitutional”.

The Fukuoka High Court in its ruling criticized the Diet for neglecting to make efforts to narrow the gaps, but rejected the plaintiffs’ demand for the invalidation of the election results.


Past related articles:
> Japan’s top court rules 2013 Upper House election as ‘state of unconstitutionality’ [November 27, 2014]
> Top court finds voting disparities ‘unconstitutional’ [November 21, 2013]