Key Facts
• On October 30, 2025, Tokyo High Court ruled on vote disparity in the July Senate election.
• The court deemed the 3.13x vote disparity constitutional but urged correction by 2028.
• The largest disparity was between Fukui (lowest voters per representative) and Kanagawa (highest).
• Disparity has grown: 3.00x in 2019, 3.03x in 2022, and 3.13x in 2025.
• The court highlighted the importance of equal voting value and noted the trend as “concerning.”
• The 2013 election’s 4.77x disparity led to reforms, but these caused lower voter turnout.
• The 2022 Senate Reform Council has yet to propose concrete solutions.
• The court warned that failure to address the issue by 2028 could result in an “unconstitutional” ruling.
• Lawyer Hidetoshi Masunaga praised the ruling for pressuring the government to act.
• Similar lawsuits were filed in 14 courts; rulings varied, with some declaring “constitutional” and others “unconstitutional.”
Summary
The Tokyo High Court ruled that the 3.13x vote disparity in Japan’s July 2025 Senate election is constitutional but emphasized the need for correction by the 2028 election. The court acknowledged the growing disparity trend and its potential to undermine voting equality. While reforms introduced after the 2013 election reduced disparities, they also led to lower voter turnout, prompting calls for a comprehensive review. The court’s decision pressures the government to act, with failure to address the issue risking an “unconstitutional” ruling in the future. Lawyer Hidetoshi Masunaga welcomed the decision as a step toward necessary reform. Nationwide lawsuits on the issue have yielded mixed rulings, reflecting the complexity of the matter.
