Japanese general election, 1947

The Shūgiin - election in 1947 was held on 25 April 1947. She was the 23 election to Shūgiin, the Japanese House of Commons. The entry into force of the new Constitution had led to the dissolution of Parliament by Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru on 31 March and the general election. The choice was between 466 seats, the triple, 39 quadruple and 38 five constituencies were determined by simple non- transferable vote in 40. Five days before the first election had been held to the Upper House.

The turnout was 67.95 %, about four percent lower than in the last election under the old constitution, which had previously, in 1946, occurred only in the year.

Decisive for the outcome of the election, the transfer of parts of the Liberal Party Yoshida, dealing with the Progressive Party of Japan ( Nihon Shimpotō ) was merged with the Democratic Party. This division of the bourgeois forces allowed the Socialist Party of Japan ( SPJ ), becoming the first and only time in history strongest faction in Shūgiin.

Effects

After the election, Yoshida decided not to run, the SPJ - chairman Tetsu Katayama was elected with only five votes against the prime minister. But his coalition cabinet of SPJ, Democratic Party and the United People's Party only lasted about a year before he resigned in March 1948.