Japanese general election, 1996
- LDP: 239
- NFP: 156
- DPJ: 52
- JCP: 26
- SDP: 15
- Sakigake: 2
- Democratic reform Bund: 1
- Independent: 9
The Shūgiin - election in 1996 was the 41 election to Shūgiin, the Japanese House of Commons, and was held on 20 October 1996. In January 1996, Prime Minister Murayama Tomiichi had resigned from the Socialist Party of Japan. His party, which ruled in coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party ( LDP) and the New Party Sakigake, then changed its name to Social Democratic Party. Murayamas successor Ryutaro Hashimoto of the LDP enjoyed initially high popularity ratings and sparked on September 27, the House of Commons on, also to prevent a strengthening of the newly formed Democratic Party of Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan. Campaign issues were reforms of the administration of the tax system and in particular a controversial increase in VAT.
For the first time in 1994, initiated by the anti - LDP coalition electoral reform was implemented: instead of SNTV in multi- mandate districts, the composition of Shūgiin in a grave electoral system of majority voting in single-member constituencies and proportional representation was determined (other than originally intended in eleven regional blocks ). In addition, the Shūgiin was reduced from 511 to 500 seats. The turnout was 59.65 % for the direct election and 59.62 % in the proportional representation, making it the hitherto lowest in the post-war history.
Effects
The governing coalition of the LDP, SDP and Sakigake could easily expand their majority; however, showed only the LDP mandate profits, while the Social Democrats half and Sakigake lost about two-thirds of their seats. Both parties which had lost to the New Progressive Party and in 1996 to the Democratic Party in 1994, members of parliament, ended after the election, the government co-operation. Prime Minister Hashimoto formed a minority government, but could be based on the agreement of several independent and individual Members of the New Progressive Party to the left the party because of dissatisfaction with the leadership style of party leader Ichiro Ozawa. Hashimoto's new cabinet was the first pure LDP Cabinet since 1993.