The sharp disparity in the weight of votes between populous and less populous electoral districts — in which voters in some constituencies have more power in electing their representatives to the Diet than those in others — is a chronic problem in national elections in this country. It happens because Diet seats are not allocated according to the distribution of the population. The Supreme Court ruled the situation in the last three Lower House elections in 2009, 2012 and 2014 — when the maximum disparity topped 2 to 1 — to be in a “state of unconstitutionality, though it fell short of invalidating the vote results.
Such a disparity in the value of votes exists runs counter to the principle of equality under the Constitution. It distorts the representation of popular will in the Diet. The top court’s decisions even raise doubts about the legitimacy of the electoral process and the lawmakers chosen to the Diet through the elections. Correcting the disparity is an urgent task.