25 March 2013/13 Jumada l-Ula 1434/05 Farvardin 1391/14 Yi-Mao (2nd month) 4711

Japan continues to have problems with elections, after two previous elections were declared unconstitutional, yet another has been voided!

The Hiroshima High Court has ruled results in the Lower House elections in 2 constituencies in Hiroshima Prefecture invalid.  The elections took place in December 2012.

Two groups of attorneys filed a lawsuit over the elections, claiming there was massive voter disparities.  They claim the difference between densely and sparsely populated constituencies was as great as 2.43.  The size of such disparity has been growing since 2009, as has court rulings declaring the elections fraudulent!

In 2009, and again in 2011, elections for Lower House positions were voided for voter disparity.  Rules were changed by the Diet last year, but it turns out December’s elections were run under the old rules.

This latest court case was preceded by five other courts, all ruling the December elections unconstitutional.  Japan’s supposed elected officials will appeal all the way to the Supreme Court.