The Japanese Election

The Parliament of Japan is called the Diet (kokkai), which is made up of the House of Representatives (shuugi-in) and the House of Councilors (sangi-in). The House of Representatives has 500 members and the House of Councilors has 252. 

The members of both houses are elected by direct vote of the people. All men and women who have reached the age of 20 have the right to vote (women were given the right to vote in 1945).

Because Japan adopted the parliamentary cabinet system (giinnaikakusei), the prime minister (shushou or souri-daijin) is designated by the both houses of the Diet among its members, before the conduct of any other business. For that purpose, each conducts a ballot under the run-off system. If the two houses choose different individuals, then a joint committee of both houses is appointed to agree on a common candidate. Ultimately, however, if the two houses do not agree within ten days, the decision of the House of Representatives is deemed to be that of the Diet. Therefore, the House of Representatives can theoretically ensure the appointment of any Prime Minister it wishes. The candidate is then formally appointed to office by the Emperor.

The Prime Minister must resign if the House of Representatives adopts a motion of no confidence or defeats a vote of confidence, unless the House of Representatives are dissolved within ten days.

 

The Prime ministerial candidates also must be civilians, though all the Japanese are civilians since there is no military. Prime minister chooses state ministers (daijin), a majority of whom must be Diet members. 

Their terms of service are 4 years for the House of Representatives and 6 years for House of Councilors. Unlike local council members, who usually serve out their full terms, the members of the House of Representatives are usually interrupted in their terms by House dissolution and general elections. 

That's one of reasons that Japanese Prime Ministers change so often. Japan has had seven different Prime Ministers in during Clinton's administration. Most Japanese are not very political due to the way the prime minister is chosen.

Here are the Japanese Prime Ministers from the past 10 years (Family names are written first).

Miyazawa Kiichi	11/05/91 - 08/09/1993
Hosokawa Morihiro	08/09/93 - 04/28/1994
Hata Tsutomu	04/28/94 - 06/30/1994
Murayama Tomiichi	06/30/94 - 01/11/1996
Hashimoto Ryuutarou	01/11/96 - 11/07/1996 11/07/96 - 07/30/1998
Obuchi Keizou	07/30/98 - 04/05/2000
Mori Yoshirou	04/05/00 - 07/04/2000 07/04/00 - 04/26/2001
Koizumi Junichirou	04/26/01 - 09/26/2006
Shinzo Abe	09/26/06 - 09/26/2007
Yasuo Fukuda	09/26/07- 09/24/2008
Taro Aso	09/24/200 - Present