View source for National Diet

{{Short description|National legislature of Japan}}
{{Redirect|Kokkai|the sumo wrestler|Kokkai Futoshi}}{{Distinguish|Diet (disambiguation){{!}}Diet}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox legislature
| background_color   = {{party color|House of Councillors}}
| name               = National Diet of Japan
| native_name        = {{noitalics|{{nobold|{{lang|ja|国会}}}}}}
| transcription_name = ''Kokkai''
| legislature        = 219th Session of the National Diet
| coa_pic            = Flag of Japan.svg
| house_type         = Bicameral
| houses             = {{ublist
 | [[House of Councillors]]<br>(upper house)
 | [[House of Representatives (Japan)|House of Representatives]]<br>(lower house)
}}
|foundation=29 November 1890<br>({{age in years and days|1890|11|29}})| leader1_type       = [[President of the House of Councillors]]
| leader1            = [[Masakazu Sekiguchi]]
| party1             = [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|LDP]]
| election1          = 11 November 2024
| leader2_type       = [[Speaker of the House of Representatives (Japan)|Speaker of the House of Representatives]]
| leader2            = [[Fukushiro Nukaga]]
| party2             = [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|LDP]]
| election2          = 11 November 2024
| leader3_type       = [[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]]
| leader3            = [[Sanae Takaichi]]
| party3             = [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|LDP]]
| election3          = 21 October 2025
| members            = {{ublist
 | '''713'''
 | 248 ([[House of Councillors]])
 | {{nowrap|465 ([[House of Representatives (Japan)|House of Representatives]])}}
}}
| house1             = [[House of Councillors]]
| structure1         = Japan HoC Composition August 2025.svg
| political_groups1  = '''[[Takaichi Cabinet|Government]] (100)'''
*{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}}} [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|LDP]] (100)
'''[[Confidence and supply|Supported by]] (19)'''
*{{Color box|{{party color|Nippon Ishin no Kai}}}} [[Japan Innovation Party|Ishin]] (19)
'''Opposition (120)'''
*{{Color box|{{party color|Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan}}}} [[Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan|CDP]]-[[Social Democratic Party (Japan)|SDP]] (42){{efn|
*{{Color box|{{party color|Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan}}}} [[Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan|CDP]] (37)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party (Japan)}}}} [[Social Democratic Party (Japan)|SDP]] (2)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Independent}}}} [[Independent politician|Independent]] (3)}}
*{{Color box|{{party color|Democratic Party For the People}}}} [[Democratic Party For the People|DPFP]] (25){{efn|
*{{Color box|{{party color|Democratic Party For the People}}}} [[Social Democratic Party (Japan)|DPFP]] (22)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Independent}}}} [[Independent politician|Independent]] (3)}}
*{{Color box|{{party color|Kōmeitō}}}} [[Kōmeitō]] (21)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Sanseitō}}}} [[Sanseitō]] (15)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Japanese Communist Party}}}} [[Japanese Communist Party|JCP]] (7)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Reiwa Shinsengumi}}}} [[Reiwa Shinsengumi|Reiwa]] (6)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party of Japan}}}} [[Conservative Party of Japan|CPJ]] (2)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Okinawa Social Mass Party}}}} [[Okinawa Social Mass Party|Okinawa Whirlwind]] (2)

'''Unaffiliated (9)'''
*{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}}} [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|LDP]] (1/Speaker)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan}}}} [[Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan|CDP]] (1/Vice Speaker)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Independent}}}} [[Independent politician|Independent]] (7){{efn|
*{{Color box|{{party color|Team Mirai}}}} [[Team Mirai]] ([[Takahiro Anno|1]])
*{{Color box|{{party color|Independent}}}} [[Independent politician|Independent]] (6)}}
| house2             = [[House of Representatives (Japan)|House of Representatives]]
| structure2         = Japanese HoR Composition August 2025.svg
| political_groups2  = '''[[Takaichi Cabinet |Government]] (196)'''
*{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}}} [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|LDP]] (196){{efn|
*{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}}} [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|LDP]] (195)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Independent}}}} Independent (1)
}}
'''[[Confidence and supply|Supported by]] (35)'''
*{{Color box|{{party color|Nippon Ishin no Kai}}}} [[Japan Innovation Party|Ishin]] (35)
'''Opposition (229)'''
*{{Color box|{{party color|Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan}}}} [[Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan|CDP]] (148){{efn|
*{{Color box|{{party color|Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan}}}} [[Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan|CDP]] (147)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Japan}}}} [[Social Democratic Party (Japan)|SDP]] (1)
}}
*{{Color box|{{party color|Democratic Party For the People}}}} [[Democratic Party For the People|DPFP]] (27)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Kōmeitō}}}} [[Komeito|Kōmeitō]] (24)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Reiwa Shinsengumi}}}} [[Reiwa Shinsengumi|Reiwa]] (9)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Japanese Communist Party}}}} [[Japanese Communist Party|JCP]] (8)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Yūshi no Kai}}}} [[Yūshi no Kai]] (4)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Independent}}}} Kaikaku no Kai (3)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Sanseitō}}}} [[Sanseitō]] (3)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party of Japan}}}} Genzei Hosyu Kodomo (3){{efn|
*{{Color box|{{party color|Genzei Nippon}}}} [[Genzei Nippon]] (3)
}}
'''Unaffiliated (5)'''
*{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}}} [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|LDP]] (1/Speaker)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan}}}} [[Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan|CDP]] (1/Vice Speaker)
*{{Color box|{{party color|Independent}}}} Independent (3){{efn|
*{{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party of Japan}}}} [[Conservative Party of Japan|CPJ]] (1)}}
| committees1        =
| committees2        =
| joint_committees   =
| voting_system1     = [[Parallel voting]]:<br />[[Single non-transferable vote]] (147 seats)<br />[[Party-list proportional representation]] (98 seats)<br />[[Staggered elections]]
| voting_system2     = [[Parallel voting]]:<br />[[First-past-the-post voting]] (289 seats)<br />[[Party-list proportional representation]] (176 seats)
| last_election1     = [[2025 Japanese House of Councillors election|20 July 2025]]
| next_election1     = 2028
| last_election2     = [[2024 Japanese general election|27 October 2024]]
| next_election2     = [[Next Japanese general election|No later than 22 October 2028]]
| session_room       = Diet of Japan Kokkai 2009.jpg
| meeting_place      = [[National Diet Building]],<br>[[Nagatachō]] 1-7-1, [[Chiyoda, Tokyo|Chiyoda District]], [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]]<br/>{{coord|35|40|33|N|139|44|42|E|source:kolossus-plwiki_type:landmark_region:JP-13|display=title,inline}}
| website            = {{plain list|
*[http://www.sangiin.go.jp/eng/index.htm House of Councillors – official website]
*[http://www.shugiin.go.jp/index.nsf/html/index_e.htm House of Representatives – official website]}}
| footnotes          =
|structure2_res=250px|structure1_res=250px}}
{{Politics of Japan}}

The {{nihongo|'''National Diet'''|国会|Kokkai|{{IPA|ja|kok̚.kai}}<ref>{{cite book|script-title=ja:NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典|publisher=NHK Publishing|editor=NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute|date=24 May 2016|lang=ja}}</ref>}} is the national [[legislature]] of [[Japan]]. It is composed of a lower house, called the [[House of Representatives (Japan)|House of Representatives]] ({{lang|ja|衆議院}}, ''Shūgiin''), and an upper house, the [[House of Councillors]] ({{lang|ja|参議院}}, ''Sangiin''). Both houses are directly elected under a [[parallel voting|parallel voting system]]. In addition to passing laws, the [[Diet (assembly)|Diet]] is formally responsible for nominating the [[Prime Minister of Japan|prime minister]]. The Diet was first established as the Imperial Diet in 1890 under the [[Meiji Constitution]], and took its current form in 1947 upon the adoption of the [[Constitution of Japan|post-war constitution]]. Both houses meet in the {{Nihongo|[[National Diet Building]]|国会議事堂|Kokkai-gijidō}} in [[Nagatachō]], [[Chiyoda, Tokyo|Chiyoda]], [[Tokyo]].

==Composition==
{{Main list|List of members of the Diet of Japan}}
{{See also|Elections in Japan}}

The houses of the National Diet are both elected under [[parallel voting]] systems. This means that the seats to be filled in any given election are divided into two groups, each elected by a different method; the main difference between the houses is in the sizes of the two groups and how they are elected. Voters are asked to cast two votes: one for an individual candidate in a constituency, and one for a party list. Any national of Japan at least 18 years of age may vote in these elections, reduced from age 20 in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |title = Diet enacts law lowering voting age to 18 from 20 |url = http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/06/17/national/politics-diplomacy/diet-enacts-law-lowering-voting-age-18-20/ |newspaper = [[The Japan Times]] |access-date = June 17, 2015 |archive-date = October 10, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161010081014/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/06/17/national/politics-diplomacy/diet-enacts-law-lowering-voting-age-18-20 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>Japan Guide [http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2280.html Coming of Age (seijin no hi)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302011810/http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2280.html |date=March 2, 2012 }} Retrieved June 8, 2007.</ref> Japan's parallel voting system ([[Mixed-member majoritarian representation|mixed-member majoritarian]]) is not to be confused with the [[Mixed-member proportional representation|mixed-member proportional]] systems used in many other nations. The [[Constitution of Japan]] does not specify the number of members of each house of the Diet, the voting system, or the necessary qualifications of those who may vote or be returned in [[Elections in Japan|parliamentary elections]], thus allowing all of these things to be determined by law. However it does guarantee universal adult suffrage and a secret ballot. It also stipulates that the electoral law must not discriminate in terms of "race, creed, sex, social status, family origin, education, property or income".<ref name="const" />

Generally, the election of Diet members is controlled by statutes passed by the Diet. This is a source of contention concerning re-apportionment of prefectures' seats in response to changes of population distribution.  For example, the [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party]] (LDP) had controlled Japan for most of its [[Post-war Japan|post-war]] history, and it gained much of its support from rural areas. During the post-war era, large numbers of people relocated to urban centers for economic reasons; though some re-apportionments have been made to the number of each prefecture's assigned seats in the Diet, rural areas generally have more representation than do urban areas.<ref>U.S. Library of Congress Country Studies [http://countrystudies.us/japan/117.htm Japan – Electoral System] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012010352/http://countrystudies.us/japan/117.htm |date=October 12, 2011 }}. Retrieved June 8, 2007.</ref> Among rural interests, Japanese [[Rice production in Japan|rice farmers]] historically had particular influence in internal LDP politics and national policies on trade and agricultural subsidies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wojtan |first=Linda S. |date=November 1993 |title=Rice: It's More Than Food In Japan |url=https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/docs/rice_its_more_than_food_in_japan |access-date=December 4, 2024 |website=Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education}}</ref>

The [[Supreme Court of Japan]] began exercising [[judicial review]] of apportionment laws following the ''Kurokawa'' decision of 1976, invalidating an election in which one district in [[Hyōgo Prefecture]] received five times the representation of another district in [[Osaka Prefecture]].<ref>The Judgement of the Supreme Court, January 14, 1976 (最大判昭51.1.14).</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Goodman |first=Carl F. |date=Summer 2001 |title=The Somewhat Less Reluctant Litigant: Japan's Changing View towards Civil Litigation |url=https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-83249551/the-somewhat-less-reluctant-litigant-japan-s-changing |journal=Law and Policy in International Business |url-access=subscription |volume=32 |number=4 |page=785 |access-date=April 21, 2019 |archive-date=August 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804062520/https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-83249551/the-somewhat-less-reluctant-litigant-japan-s-changing |url-status=live }}</ref> In the most recent elections, the malapportionment ratio amounted to 3.03 in the House of Councillors (2022 election: Kanagawa/Fukui)<ref>[[Asahi Shimbun]], June 22, 2022: [https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASQ6Q6F2GQ6QUTFK01T.html 2022年参院選、一票の格差は最大3.032倍　朝日新聞算出] Retrieved December 14, 2024.</ref> and 2.06 in the House of Representatives (2024 election: Hokkaidō 3/Tottori 1).<ref>[[NHK]], October 16, 2024: [https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20241016/k10014610511000.html 衆議院選挙の「一票の格差」2倍以上に 前回の選挙に続き] Retrieved December 14, 2024.</ref>

Candidates for the lower house must be 25 years old or older and 30 years or older for the upper house. All candidates must be Japanese nationals. Under Article 49 of Japan's Constitution, Diet members are paid about ¥1.3&nbsp;million a month in salary. Each lawmaker is entitled to employ three secretaries with taxpayer funds, and to receive free [[Shinkansen]] tickets, and four round-trip airplane tickets a month to enable them to travel back and forth to their home districts.<ref>Fukue, Natsuko, "[http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110104i1.html The basics of being a lawmaker at the Diet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902001426/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110104i1.html |date=September 2, 2011 }}", ''[[The Japan Times]]'', January 4, 2011, p. 3.</ref>

==Powers==

Article 41 of the [[Constitution of Japan|Constitution]] describes the National Diet as "the highest organ of State power" and "the sole law-making organ of the State". This statement is in forceful contrast to the [[Meiji Constitution]], which described the [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] as the one who exercised legislative power with the consent of the Diet. The Diet's responsibilities include not only the making of laws but also the approval of the annual national budget that the government submits and the ratification of treaties. It can also initiate draft constitutional amendments, which, if approved, must be presented to the people in a referendum. The Diet may conduct "investigations in relation to government" (Article 62).

The [[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]] must be designated by Diet resolution, establishing the principle of legislative supremacy over executive government agencies (Article 67). The government can also be dissolved by the Diet if the House of Representatives passes a motion of no confidence introduced by fifty members of the House of Representatives. Government officials, including the Prime Minister and [[Cabinet of Japan|Cabinet members]], are required to appear before Diet investigative committees and answer inquiries. The Diet also has the power to impeach judges convicted of criminal or irregular conduct.<ref name="const">[[National Diet Library]]. [http://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/etc/c01.html Constitution of Japan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007073643/http://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/etc/c01.html |date=October 7, 2011 }}. Published 1947. Retrieved July 15, 2007.</ref>

In most circumstances, in order to become law a bill must be first passed by both houses of the Diet and then promulgated by the Emperor. This role of the Emperor is similar to the [[Royal Assent]] in some other nations; however, the Emperor cannot refuse to promulgate a law and therefore his legislative role is merely a formality.<ref>House of Councillors. [https://web.archive.org/web/20010411172147/http://www.sangiin.go.jp/eng/guide/f_c_6.htm Legislative Procedure]. Published 2001. Retrieved July 15, 2007.</ref>

The House of Representatives is the more powerful chamber of the Diet.<ref>Asia Times Online [https://web.archive.org/web/20070713235707/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/IG06Dh01.html Japan: A political tsunami approaches]. By Hisane Masaki. Published July 6, 2007. Retrieved July 15, 2007.</ref> While the House of Representatives cannot usually overrule the House of Councillors on a bill, the House of Councillors can only delay the adoption of a budget or a treaty that has been approved by the House of Representatives, and the House of Councillors has almost no power at all to prevent the lower house from selecting any Prime Minister it wishes. Furthermore, once appointed it is the confidence of the House of Representatives alone that the Prime Minister must enjoy in order to continue in office. The House of Representatives can overrule the upper house in the following circumstances:<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Diet-Japanese-government|title=Diet {{!}} Japanese government|work=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=August 22, 2017|language=en|archive-date=November 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119145411/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Diet-Japanese-government|url-status=live}}</ref>
* If a bill is adopted by the House of Representatives and then either rejected, amended or not approved within 60 days by the House of Councillors, then the bill will become law if again adopted by the House of Representatives by a majority of at least two-thirds of members present.<ref name="disagree">House of Representatives of Japan [https://web.archive.org/web/20020617093433/http://www.shugiin.go.jp/itdb_english.nsf/html/statics/guide/disagree.htm Disagreement between the Two Houses]. Retrieved July 14, 2007.</ref>
* If both houses cannot agree on a budget or a treaty, even through the appointment of a joint committee of the Diet, or if the House of Councillors fails to take final action on a proposed budget or treaty within 30 days of its approval by the House of Representatives, then the decision of the lower house is deemed to be that of the Diet.<ref name="disagree"/>
* If both houses cannot agree on a candidate for Prime Minister, even through a joint committee, or if the House of Councillors fails to designate a candidate within 10 days of House of Representatives' decision, then the nominee of the lower house is deemed to be that of the Diet.

<gallery mode="packed" style="text-align: center;" caption="National Diet Building Interior" heights="130px" per="" row="3">
File:Chamber_of_the_House_of_Representatives_of_Japan.jpg|House of Representatives
File:Japanese_diet_inside.jpg|House of Councillors
File:The_minister_room_at_the_National_Diet_Building.jpg|The waiting room adjacent to the Cabinet Room at the National Diet Building
</gallery>

==Activities==
Under the Constitution, at least one session of the Diet must be convened each year. Technically, only the House of Representatives is ''dissolved'' before an election. But, while the lower house is in dissolution, the House of Councillors is usually "closed". The Emperor both convokes the Diet and dissolves the House of Representatives but in doing so must act on the ''advice'' of the [[Cabinet of Japan|Cabinet]]. In an emergency the Cabinet can convoke the Diet for an extraordinary session, and an extraordinary session may be requested by one-quarter of the members of either house.<ref name="session">House of Representatives of Japan [https://web.archive.org/web/20020410021015/http://www.shugiin.go.jp/itdb_english.nsf/html/statics/guide/sessions.htm Sessions of the Diet]. Retrieved July 14, 2007.</ref> At the beginning of each parliamentary session, the [[Speech from the Throne|Emperor reads a special speech]] from his throne in the chamber of the House of Councillors.<ref>House of Representatives of Japan [https://web.archive.org/web/20020410020528/http://www.shugiin.go.jp/itdb_english.nsf/html/statics/guide/opening.htm Opening Ceremony and Speeches on Government Policy]. Retrieved July 14, 2007.</ref>

The presence of one-third of the membership of either house constitutes a [[quorum]]<ref name="session"/> and deliberations are in public unless at least two-thirds of those present agree otherwise. Each house elects its own presiding officer who casts the deciding vote in the event of a tie. The Diet has [[parliamentary immunity]]. Members of each house have certain protections against arrest while the Diet is in session and arrested members must be released during the term of the session if the House demands. They are immune outside the house for words spoken and votes cast in the House.<ref>{{cite web |title= Judgments of the Supreme Court Case 1994 (O) 1287 |website= Supreme Court of Japan |url= https://www.courts.go.jp/app/hanrei_en/detail?id=368 |access-date= August 13, 2020 |archive-date= October 20, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201020010535/https://www.courts.go.jp/app/hanrei_en/detail?id=368 |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Judgments of the Supreme Court Case Number 1978 (O) 1240 |website= Supreme Court of Japan |url= https://www.courts.go.jp/app/hanrei_en/detail?id=80 |access-date= August 13, 2020 |archive-date= October 20, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201020005313/https://www.courts.go.jp/app/hanrei_en/detail?id=80 |url-status= live }}</ref> Each house of the Diet determines its own standing orders and has responsibility for disciplining its own members. A member may be expelled, but only by a two-thirds majority vote. Every member of the Cabinet has the right to appear in either house of the Diet for the purpose of speaking on bills, and each house has the right to compel the appearance of Cabinet members.<ref>{{cite web|title= The Constitution of Japan, CHAPTER IV THE DIET|website= Japanese Law Translation|url= http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail/?id=174|access-date= August 12, 2020|archive-date= January 5, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210105093921/http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail/?id=174|url-status= dead}}</ref>

=== Legislative process ===
The vast majority of bills are submitted to the Diet by the Cabinet.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Oda|first=Hiroshi|url=http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199232185.001.1/acprof-9780199232185|title=Japanese Law|date=2009|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19-923218-5|chapter=The Sources of Law|doi=10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199232185.001.1|access-date=May 27, 2020|archive-date=June 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180603081544/http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199232185.001.1/acprof-9780199232185|url-status=live}}</ref> Bills are usually drafted by the relevant ministry, sometimes with the advice of an external committee if the issue is sufficiently important or neutrality is necessary.<ref>M. Nakamura and T. Tsunemoto, 'The Legislative Process: Outline and Actors', in Y.Higuchi (ed.), ''Five Decades of Constitutionalism in Japanese Society'' (Tokyo, 2001), pp. 197–219</ref> Such advisory committees may include university professors, trade union representatives, industry representatives, and local governors and mayors, and invariably include retired officials.<ref name=":0" /> Such draft bills would be sent to the [[Cabinet Legislation Bureau]] of the government, as well as to the ruling party.<ref name=":0" />

==Building==
{{Main|National Diet Building}}

==History==
{{further|Political funding in Japan}}

Japan's first modern legislature was the {{nihongo|'''Imperial Diet'''|帝国議会|Teikoku-gikai}} established by the [[Meiji Constitution]] in force from 1889 to 1947. The Meiji Constitution was adopted on February 11, 1889, and the Imperial Diet first met on November 29, 1890, when the document entered into force.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-3ImB0-ZL9UC&pg=PT8 |title=Japan's Early Parliaments, 1890–1905: Structure, Issues and Trends |last1=Fraser |first1=Andrew |last2=Mason |first2=R. H. P. |last3=Mitchell |first3=Philip |date=September 16, 2005 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-97030-8 |pages=8 |access-date=November 27, 2019 |archive-date=January 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122185542/https://books.google.com/books?id=-3ImB0-ZL9UC&pg=PT8 |url-status=live }}</ref> The first Imperial Diet of 1890 was plagued by controversy and political tensions. The [[Prime Minister of Japan]] at that time was [[General]] [[Count]] [[Yamagata Aritomo]], who entered into a confrontation with the legislative body over military funding. During this time, there were many critics of the army who derided the Meiji slogan of "rich country, strong military" as in effect producing a poor country (albeit with a strong military). They advocated for infrastructure projects and lower taxes instead and felt their interests were not being served by high levels of military spending. As a result of these early conflicts, public opinion of politicians was not favorable.<ref>Stewart Lone [https://books.google.com/books?id=5juMAgAAQBAJ Provincial Life and the Imperial Military in Japan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122185543/https://books.google.com/books?id=5juMAgAAQBAJ |date=January 22, 2023 }}. Page 12. Published 2010. Routledge. {{ISBN|0-203-87235-5}}</ref>

The Imperial Diet consisted of a House of Representatives and a {{nihongo|'''[[House of Peers (Japan)|House of Peers]]'''|貴族院|Kizoku-in}}. The House of Representatives was directly elected, if on a limited franchise; universal adult male suffrage was introduced in 1925 when the [[Universal Manhood Suffrage Law]] was passed, but excluded women, and was limited to men 25 years or older.<ref>Colegrove, Kenneth (1929). "Labor Parties in Japan". ''American Political Science Review''. '''23''' (2): 329–363. [[Doi (identifier)|doi]]:10.2307/1945218. [[ISSN (identifier)|ISSN]] 0003-0554. [[JSTOR (identifier)|JSTOR]] 1945218. [[S2CID (identifier)|S2CID]] 145649163.</ref> The House of Peers, much like the British [[House of Lords]], consisted of high-ranking nobles chosen by the Emperor.<ref name="history">House of Representatives of Japan [https://web.archive.org/web/20020617093922/http://www.shugiin.go.jp/itdb_english.nsf/html/statics/guide/imperial.htm From Imperial Diet to National Diet]. Retrieved July 15, 2007.</ref>

The first election by [[universal suffrage]] without distinction of sex was held in 1946, but it was not until 1947, when the [[constitution]] for [[Post-occupation Japan|post-war Japan]] came into effect, that universal suffrage was established In Japan.<ref>"THE CONSTITUTION OF JAPAN". ''[https://japan.kantei.go.jp/constitution_and_government_of_japan/constitution_e.html japan.kantei.go.jp]''. Retrieved 2019-06-05.</ref>

The word ''[[Diet (assembly)|diet]]'' derives from [[Latin]] and was a common name for an assembly in medieval European polities like the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. The Meiji Constitution was largely based on the form of constitutional monarchy found in nineteenth century [[Prussia]] that placed the king not as a servant of the state but rather the sole holder of power and sovereignty over his kingdom, which the Japanese view of their emperor and his role at the time favoured.<ref>{{cite book|page=234|title=We, the Japanese People: World War II and the Origins of the Japanese Constitution|first=Dale M.|last=Hellegers|isbn=0804780323|publisher=Stanford University Press|location=Stanford|year=2001}}</ref> The new Diet was modeled partly on the German [[Reichstag (German Empire)|Reichstag]] and partly on the British [[Westminster system]]. Unlike the post-war constitution, the Meiji constitution granted a real political role to the Emperor, although in practice the Emperor's powers were largely directed by a group of oligarchs called the ''[[genrō]]'' or elder statesmen.<ref>Henkin, Louis and Albert J. Rosenthal [https://books.google.com/books?id=9s2KPYdpx_cC&dq=meiji+constitution+germany&pg=PA424 Constitutionalism and Rights: the Influence of the United States Constitution Abroad]. Page 424. Published 1990. Columbia University Press. {{ISBN|0-231-06570-1}}</ref>

To become law or bill, a constitutional amendment had to have the assent of both the Diet and the Emperor. This meant that while the Emperor could no longer legislate by decree he still had a veto over the Diet. The Emperor also had complete freedom in choosing the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, and so, under the Meiji Constitution, Prime Ministers often were not chosen from and did not enjoy the confidence of the Diet.<ref name="history"/> The Imperial Diet was also limited in its control over the budget. However, the Diet could veto the annual budget. If no budget was approved, the budget of the previous year continued in force. This changed with the new constitution after World War II.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Diet {{!}} Japanese government|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Diet-Japanese-government|access-date=November 2, 2020|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|archive-date=November 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119145411/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Diet-Japanese-government|url-status=live}}</ref>

The proportional representation system for the House of Councillors, introduced in 1982, was the first major electoral reform under the post-war constitution. Instead of choosing national constituency candidates as individuals, as had previously been the case, voters cast ballots for parties. Individual councillors, listed officially by the parties before the election, are selected on the basis of the parties' proportions of the total national constituency vote.<ref>Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication. [http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/chouki/27exp.htm Chapter 27 – Government Employees and Elections] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305015809/http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/chouki/27exp.htm |date=March 5, 2012 }}. Published 2003. Retrieved June 8, 2007.</ref> The system was introduced to reduce the excessive money spent by candidates for the national constituencies. Critics charged, however, that this new system benefited the two largest parties, the LDP and the Japan Socialist Party (now [[Social Democratic Party (Japan)|Social Democratic Party]]), which in fact had sponsored the reform.<ref>Library of Congress County Data. [http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-7249.html Japan – The Legislature] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070624185350/http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-7249.html |date=June 24, 2007 }}. Retrieved June 8, 2007.</ref> As a result of both the [[2024 Japanese general election]] and the [[2025 Japanese House of Councillors election]], the LDP for the time in party history failed to control either of the two houses in the National Diet.<ref>{{cite web | title=Japan's Long-Dominant Party Suffers Election Defeat as Voters Swing Right | website=[[The New York Times]] | date=July 20, 2025 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/20/world/asia/japan-parliamentary-elections-exit-polls.html }}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" style="text-align:center;" heights="130px" per="" row="3" caption="National Diet buildings">
File:The First Japnese Diet Hall 1890-91.jpg|The First Japanese Diet Hall (1890–91)
File:National Diet Hiroshima Temporary Building (external view).jpg|National Diet Hiroshima Temporary Building (1894)
File:The Second Japnese Diet Hall 1891-1925.jpg|The Second Japanese Diet Hall (1891–1925)
File:National Diet in 1930s.jpg|National Diet Building (1930)
File:National_Diet_Building_P5030133.jpg|National Diet Building (2017)
</gallery>

== List of sessions ==
[[File:20101129gikai1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] [[Akihito]] and [[Empress Michiko]] seated in the Chamber of the House of Councillors of the National Diet, with members of the imperial family, the cabinet, and [[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]] [[Naoto Kan]] giving the government's speech in front of the assembled members of parliament (2010)]]
There are three types of sessions of the National Diet:<ref>House of Councillors: [http://www.sangiin.go.jp/japanese/aramashi/syousyu_kaiki.html 国会の召集と会期] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113003433/http://www.sangiin.go.jp/japanese/aramashi/syousyu_kaiki.html |date=November 13, 2017 }}</ref>
* R – ''jōkai'' (常会), regular, annual sessions of the National Diet, often called "regular National Diet" (通常国会, ''tsūjō Kokkai''). These are nowadays usually called in January, they last for 150 days and can be extended once.
* E – ''rinjikai'' (臨時会), extraordinary sessions of the National Diet, often called "extraordinary National Diet" (臨時国会, ''rinji Kokkai''). These are often called in autumn, or in the summer after a regular election of the [[House of Councillors]] (参議院議員通常選挙, ''sangiingiin tsūjōsenkyo'') or after a full-term general election of the [[House of Representatives (Japan)|House of Representatives]] (衆議院議員総選挙, ''shūgiingiin sōsenkyo''). Its length is negotiated between the two houses, it can be extended twice.
* S – ''tokubetsukai'' (特別会), special sessions of the National Diet, often called "special National Diet" (特別国会, ''tokubetsu Kokkai''). They are called only after a dissolution and early general election of the House of Representatives. Because the [[Cabinet of Japan|cabinet]] must resign after a House of Representatives election, the National Diet always chooses a prime minister-designate in a special session (but inversely, not all PM elections take place in a special Diet). A special session can be extended twice.
* HCES – There is a fourth type of legislative session: If the House of Representatives is dissolved, a National Diet cannot be convened. In urgent cases, the cabinet may invoke an emergency session (緊急集会, ''kinkyū shūkai'') of the House of Councillors to take provisional decisions for the whole Diet. As soon as the whole National Diet convenes again, these decisions must be confirmed by the House of Representatives or become ineffective. Such emergency sessions have been called twice in history, in 1952 and 1953.<ref>House of Councillors: [http://www.sangiin.go.jp/japanese/aramashi/kinkyu_syukai.html 参議院の緊急集会] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209221007/http://www.sangiin.go.jp/japanese/aramashi/kinkyu_syukai.html |date=December 9, 2017 }}</ref>

Any session of the National Diet may be cut short by a dissolution of the House of Representatives (衆議院解散, ''shūgiin kaisan''). In the table, this is listed simply as "(dissolution)"; the House of Councillors or the National Diet as such cannot be dissolved.

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
|+List of National Diet sessions<ref>House of Representatives: [http://www.shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_annai.nsf/html/statics/shiryo/kaiki.htm 国会会期一覧] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113003455/http://www.shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_annai.nsf/html/statics/shiryo/kaiki.htm |date=November 13, 2017 }}, retrieved October 4, 2019.</ref>
|-
! data-sort-type="number" | Diet !! Type !! Opened !! Closed !! data-sort-type="number" | Length in days<br /><small>(originally scheduled+extension[s])</small>
|-
| 1st || S || {{dts|1947-5-20}} || {{dts|1947-12-09}} || 204 (50+154)
|-
| 2nd || R || {{dts|1947-12-10}} || {{dts|1948-07-05}} || 209 (150+59)
|-
| 3rd || E || {{dts|1948-10-11}} || {{dts|1948-11-30}} || 51 (30+21)
|-
| 4th || R || {{dts|1948-12-01}} || {{dts|1948-12-23}}<br />(dissolution) || 23 (150)
|-
| 5th || S || {{dts|1949-02-11}} || {{dts|1949-05-31}} || 110 (70+40)
|-
| 6th || E || {{dts|1949-10-25}} || {{dts|1949-12-03}} || 40 (30+10)
|-
| 7th || R || {{dts|1949-12-04}} || {{dts|1950-05-02}} || 150
|-
| 8th || E || {{dts|1950-07-21}} || {{dts|1950-07-31}} || 20
|-
| 9th || E || {{dts|1950-11-21}} || {{dts|1950-12-09}} || 19 (18+1)
|-
| 10th || R || {{dts|1950-12-10}} || {{dts|1951-06-05}} || 178 (150+28)
|-
| 11th || E || {{dts|1951-08-16}} || {{dts|1951-08-18}} || 3
|-
| 12th || E || {{dts|1951-10-10}} || {{dts|1951-11-30}} || 52 (40+12)
|-
| 13th || R || {{dts|1951-12-10}} || {{dts|1952-07-31}} || 225 (150+85)
|-
| 14th <small>([[:ja:第14回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|1952-08-26}} || {{dts|1952-08-28}}<br />(dissolution) || 3 (150)
|-
| – || [HCES] || {{dts|1952-08-31}} || {{dts|1952-08-31}} || [1]
|-
| 15th <small>([[:ja:第15回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|1952-10-24}} || {{dts|1953-03-14}}<br />(dissolution) || 142 (60+99)
|-
| – || [HCES] || {{dts|1953-03-18}} || {{dts|1953-03-20}} || [3]
|-
| 16th || S || {{dts|1953-05-18}} || {{dts|1953-08-10}} || 85 (75+10)
|-
| 17th || E || {{dts|1953-10-29}} || {{dts|1953-11-07}} || 10 (7+3)
|-
| 18th || E || {{dts|1953-11-30}} || {{dts|1953-12-08}} || 9
|-
| 19th || R || {{dts|1953-12-10}} || {{dts|1957-06-15}} || 188 (150+38)
|-
| 20th || E || {{dts|1954-11-30}} || {{dts|1954-12-09}} || 10 (9+1)
|-
| 21st || R || {{dts|1954-12-10}} || {{dts|1955-01-24}}<br />(dissolution) || 46 (150)
|-
| 22nd || S || {{dts|1955-03-18}} || {{dts|1955-07-30}} || 135 (105+30)
|-
| 23rd || E || {{dts|1955-11-22}} || {{dts|1955-12-16}} || 25
|-
| 24th || R || {{dts|1955-12-20}} || {{dts|1956-06-03}} || 167 (150+17)
|-
| 25th || E || {{dts|1956-11-12}} || {{dts|1956-12-13}} || 32 (25+7)
|-
| 26th || R || {{dts|1956-12-20}} || {{dts|1957-05-19}} || 151 (150+1)
|-
| 27th || E || {{dts|1957-11-01}} || {{dts|1957-11-14}} || 14 (12+2)
|-
| 28th || R || {{dts|1957-12-20}} || {{dts|1958-04-25}}<br />(dissolution) || 127 (150)
|-
| 29th || S || {{dts|1958-06-10}} || {{dts|1958-07-08}} || 29 (25+4)
|-
| 30th || E || {{dts|1958-09-29}} || {{dts|1958-12-07}} || 70 (40+30)
|-
| 31st || R || {{dts|1958-12-10}} || {{dts|1959-05-02}} || 144
|-
| 32nd || E || {{dts|1959-06-22}} || {{dts|1959-07-03}} || 12
|-
| 33rd || E || {{dts|1959-10-26}} || {{dts|1959-12-27}} || 63 (60+13)
|-
| 34th || R || {{dts|1959-12-29}} || {{dts|1960-07-15}} || 200 (150+50)
|-
| 35th || E || {{dts|1960-07-18}} || {{dts|1960-07-22}} || 5
|-
| 36th || E || {{dts|1960-10-17}} || {{dts|1960-10-24}}<br />(dissolution) || 8 (10)
|-
| 37th || S || {{dts|1960-12-05}} || {{dts|1960-12-22}} || 18
|-
| 38th || R || {{dts|1960-12-26}} || {{dts|1961-06-08}} || 165 (150+15)
|-
| 39th || E || {{dts|1961-09-25}} || {{dts|1961-10-31}} || 37
|-
| 40th || R || {{dts|1961-12-09}} || {{dts|1962-05-07}} || 150
|-
| 41st || E || {{dts|1962-08-04}} || {{dts|1962-09-02}} || 30
|-
| 42nd || E || {{dts|1962-12-08}} || {{dts|1962-12-23}} || 16 (12+4)
|-
| 43rd || R || {{dts|1962-12-24}} || {{dts|1963-07-06}} || 195 (150+45)
|-
| 44th || E || {{dts|1963-10-15}} || {{dts|1963-10-23}}<br />(dissolution) || 9 (30)
|-
| 45th || S || {{dts|1963-12-04}} || {{dts|1963-12-18}} || 15
|-
| 46th || R || {{dts|1963-12-20}} || {{dts|1964-06-26}} || 190 (150+40)
|-
| 47th || E || {{dts|1964-11-09}} || {{dts|1964-12-18}} || 40
|-
| 48th || R || {{dts|1964-12-21}} || {{dts|1965-06-01}} || 163 (150+13)
|-
| 49th || E || {{dts|1965-07-22}} || {{dts|1965-08-11}} || 21
|-
| 50th || E || {{dts|1965-10-05}} || {{dts|1965-12-13}} || 70
|-
| 51st || R || {{dts|1965-12-20}} || {{dts|1966-06-27}} || 190 (150+40)
|-
| 52nd || E || {{dts|1966-07-11}} || {{dts|1966-07-30}} || 20
|-
| 53rd || E || {{dts|1966-11-30}} || {{dts|1966-12-20}} || 21
|-
| 54th <small>([[:ja:第54回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|1966-12-27}} || {{dts|1966-12-27}}<br />(dissolution) || 1 (150)
|-
| 55th || S || {{dts|1967-02-15}} || {{dts|1967-07-21}} || 157 (136+21)
|-
| 56th || E || {{dts|1967-07-27}} || {{dts|1967-08-18}} || 23 (15+8)
|-
| 57th || E || {{dts|1967-12-04}} || {{dts|1967-12-23}} || 20
|-
| 58th || R || {{dts|1967-12-27}} || {{dts|1968-06-03}} || 160 (150+10)
|-
| 59th || E || {{dts|1968-08-01}} || {{dts|1968-08-10}} || 10
|-
| 60th || E || {{dts|1968-12-10}} || {{dts|1968-12-21}} || 12
|-
| 61st || R || {{dts|1968-12-27}} || {{dts|1969-08-05}} || 222 (150+72)
|-
| 62nd || E || {{dts|1969-11-29}} || {{dts|1969-12-02}}<br />(dissolution) || 4 (14)
|-
| 63rd || S || {{dts|1970-01-14}} || {{dts|1970-05-13}} || 120
|-
| [[Pollution Diet|64th]] <small>([[:ja:第64回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|1970-11-24}} || {{dts|1970-12-18}} || 25
|-
| 65th || R || {{dts|1970-12-26}} || {{dts|1971-05-24}} || 150
|-
| 66th || E || {{dts|1971-07-14}} || {{dts|1971-07-24}} || 11
|-
| 67th || E || {{dts|1971-10-16}} || {{dts|1971-12-27}} || 73 (70+3)
|-
| 68th || R || {{dts|1971-12-29}} || {{dts|1972-06-16}} || 171 (150+21)
|-
| 69th || E || {{dts|1972-07-06}} || {{dts|1972-07-12}} || 7
|-
| 70th || E || {{dts|1972-10-27}} || {{dts|1972-11-13}}<br />(dissolution) || 18 (21)
|-
| 71st <small>([[:ja:第71回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|1972-12-22}} || {{dts|1973-09-27}} || 280 (150+130)
|-
| 72nd || R || {{dts|1973-12-01}} || {{dts|1974-06-03}} || 185 (150+35)
|-
| 73rd || E || {{dts|1974-07-24}} || {{dts|1974-07-31}} || 8
|-
| 74th || E || {{dts|1974-12-09}} || {{dts|1974-12-25}} || 17
|-
| 75th || R || {{dts|1974-12-27}} || {{dts|1975-07-04}} || 190 (150+40)
|-
| 76th || E || {{dts|1975-09-11}} || {{dts|1975-12-25}} || 106 (75+31)
|-
| 77th || R || {{dts|1975-12-27}} || {{dts|1976-05-24}} || 150
|-
| 78th || E || {{dts|1976-09-16}} || {{dts|1976-11-04}} || 50
|-
| 79th || E || {{dts|1976-12-24}} || {{dts|1976-12-28}} || 5
|-
| 80th || R || {{dts|1976-12-30}} || {{dts|1977-06-09}} || 162 (150+12)
|-
| 81st || E || {{dts|1977-07-27}} || {{dts|1977-08-03}} || 8
|-
| 82nd || E || {{dts|1977-09-29}} || {{dts|1977-11-25}} || 58 (40+18)
|-
| 83rd || E || {{dts|1977-12-07}} || {{dts|1977-12-10}} || 4
|-
| 84th || R || {{dts|1977-12-19}} || {{dts|1978-06-16}} || 180 (150+30)
|-
| 85th || E || {{dts|1978-09-18}} || {{dts|1978-10-21}} || 34
|-
| 86th || E || {{dts|1978-12-06}} || {{dts|1978-12-12}} || 7
|-
| 87th || R || {{dts|1978-12-22}} || {{dts|1979-06-14}} || 175 (150+25)
|-
| 88th || E || {{dts|1979-08-30}} || {{dts|1979-09-07}}<br />(dissolution) || 9 (30)
|-
| 89th || S || {{dts|1979-10-30}} || {{dts|1979-11-16}} || 18
|-
| 90th || E || {{dts|1979-11-26}} || {{dts|1979-12-11}} || 16
|-
| 91st || R || {{dts|1979-12-21}} || {{dts|1980-05-19}}<br />(dissolution) || 151 (150+9)
|-
| 92nd || S || {{dts|1980-07-17}} || {{dts|1980-07-26}} || 10
|-
| 93rd || E || {{dts|1980-09-29}} || {{dts|1980-11-29}} || 62 (50+12)
|-
| 94th || R || {{dts|1980-12-22}} || {{dts|1981-06-06}} || 167 (150+17)
|-
| 95th || E || {{dts|1981-09-27}} || {{dts|1981-11-28}} || 66 (55+11)
|-
| 96th <small>([[:ja:第96回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|1981-12-21}} || {{dts|1982-08-21}} || 244 (150+94)
|-
| 97th || E || {{dts|1982-11-26}} || {{dts|1982-12-25}} || 30 (25+5)
|-
| 98th || R || {{dts|1982-12-28}} || {{dts|1983-05-26}} || 150
|-
| 99th || E || {{dts|1983-07-18}} || {{dts|1983-07-23}} || 6
|-
| 100th || E || {{dts|1983-09-08}} || {{dts|1983-11-28}}<br />(dissolution) || 82 (70+12)
|-
| 101st || S || {{dts|1983-12-26}} || {{dts|1984-08-08}} || 227 (150+77)
|-
| 102nd || R || {{dts|1984-12-01}} || {{dts|1985-06-25}} || 207 (150+57)
|-
| 103rd || E || {{dts|1985-10-14}} || {{dts|1985-12-21}} || 69 (62+7)
|-
| 104th || R || {{dts|1985-12-24}} || {{dts|1986-05-22}} || 150
|-
| 105th <small>([[:ja:第105回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|1986-06-02}} || {{dts|1986-06-02}}<br />(dissolution) || 1
|-
| 106th || S || {{dts|1986-07-22}} || {{dts|1986-07-25}} || 4
|-
| 107th || E || {{dts|1986-09-11}} || {{dts|1986-07-25}} || 4
|-
| 108th || R || {{dts|1986-12-29}} || {{dts|1987-05-27}} || 150
|-
| 109th || E || {{dts|1987-07-06}} || {{dts|1987-09-19}} || 76 (65+11)
|-
| 110th || E || {{dts|1987-11-06}} || {{dts|1987-11-11}} || 6
|-
| 111th || E || {{dts|1987-11-27}} || {{dts|1987-12-12}} || 16
|-
| 112th || R || {{dts|1987-12-28}} || {{dts|1988-05-25}} || 150
|-
| 113th || E || {{dts|1988-07-19}} || {{dts|1988-12-28}} || 163 (70+93)
|-
| 114th || R || {{dts|1988-12-30}} || {{dts|1989-06-22}} || 175 (150+25)
|-
| 115th || E || {{dts|1989-08-07}} || {{dts|1989-08-12}} || 6
|-
| 116th || E || {{dts|1989-09-28}} || {{dts|1989-12-16}} || 80
|-
| 117th || R || {{dts|1989-12-25}} || {{dts|1990-01-24}}<br />(dissolution) || 31 (150)
|-
| 118th || S || {{dts|1990-02-27}} || {{dts|1990-06-26}} || 120
|-
| 119th || E || {{dts|1990-10-12}} || {{dts|1990-11-10}} || 30
|-
| 120th || R || {{dts|1990-12-10}} || {{dts|1991-05-08}} || 150
|-
| 121st || E || {{dts|1991-08-05}} || {{dts|1991-10-04}} || 61
|-
| 122nd || E || {{dts|1991-11-05}} || {{dts|1991-12-21}} || 47 (36+11)
|-
| 123rd || R || {{dts|1992-01-24}} || {{dts|1992-06-21}} || 150
|-
| 124th || E || {{dts|1992-08-07}} || {{dts|1992-08-11}} || 5
|-
| 125th || E || {{dts|1992-10-30}} || {{dts|1992-12-10}} || 42 (40+2)
|-
| 126th || R || {{dts|1993-01-22}} || {{dts|1993-06-18}}<br />(dissolution) || 148 (150)
|-
| 127th || S || {{dts|1993-08-05}} || {{dts|1993-08-28}} || 24 (10+14)
|-
| 128th || E || {{dts|1993-09-17}} || {{dts|1994-01-29}} || 135 (90+45)
|-
| 129th || R || {{dts|1994-01-31}} || {{dts|1994-06-29}} || 150
|-
| 130th || E || {{dts|1994-07-18}} || {{dts|1994-07-22}} || 5
|-
| 131st || E || {{dts|1994-09-30}} || {{dts|1994-12-09}} || 71 (65+6)
|-
| 132nd || R || {{dts|1995-01-20}} || {{dts|1995-06-18}} || 150
|-
| 133rd || E || {{dts|1995-08-04}} || {{dts|1995-08-08}} || 5
|-
| 134th || E || {{dts|1995-09-29}} || {{dts|1995-12-15}} || 78 (46+32)
|-
| 135th || E || {{dts|1996-01-11}} || {{dts|1996-01-13}} || 3
|-
| 136th <small>([[:ja:第136回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|1996-01-22}} || {{dts|1996-06-19}} || 150
|-
| 137th || E || {{dts|1996-09-27}} || {{dts|1996-09-27}}<br />(dissolution) || 1
|-
| 138th || S || {{dts|1996-11-07}} || {{dts|1996-11-12}} || 6
|-
| 139th || E || {{dts|1996-11-29}} || {{dts|1996-12-18}} || 20
|-
| 140th || R || {{dts|1997-01-20}} || {{dts|1997-06-18}} || 150
|-
| 141st || E || {{dts|1997-09-29}} || {{dts|1997-12-12}} || 75
|-
| 142nd || R || {{dts|1998-01-12}} || {{dts|1998-06-18}} || 158 (150+8)
|-
| 143rd <small>([[:ja:第143回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|1998-07-30}} || {{dts|1998-10-16}} || 79 (70+9)
|-
| 144th || E || {{dts|1998-11-27}} || {{dts|1998-12-14}} || 18
|-
| 145th || R || {{dts|1999-01-19}} || {{dts|1999-08-13}} || 207 (150+57)
|-
| 146th || E || {{dts|1999-10-29}} || {{dts|1999-12-15}} || 48
|-
| 147th || R || {{dts|2000-01-20}} || {{dts|2000-06-02}}<br />(dissolution) || 135 (150)
|-
| 148th <small>([[:ja:第148回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|2000-07-04}} || {{dts|2000-07-06}} || 3
|-
| 149th || E || {{dts|2000-07-28}} || {{dts|2000-08-09}} || 13
|-
| 150th || E || {{dts|2000-09-21}} || {{dts|2000-12-01}} || 72
|-
| 151st || R || {{dts|2001-01-31}} || {{dts|2001-06-29}} || 150
|-
| 152nd || E || {{dts|2001-08-07}} || {{dts|2001-08-10}} || 4
|-
| 153rd || E || {{dts|2001-09-27}} || {{dts|2001-12-07}} || 72
|-
| 154th || R || {{dts|2002-01-21}} || {{dts|2002-07-31}} || 192 (150+42)
|-
| 155th || E || {{dts|2002-10-18}} || {{dts|2002-12-13}} || 57
|-
| 156th || R || {{dts|2003-01-20}} || {{dts|2003-07-28}} || 190 (150+40)
|-
| 157th || E || {{dts|2003-09-29}} || {{dts|2003-10-10}}<br />(dissolution) || 15 (36)
|-
| 158th || S || {{dts|2003-11-19}} || {{dts|2003-11-27}} || 9
|-
| 159th || R || {{dts|2004-01-19}} || {{dts|2004-06-16}} || 150
|-
| 160th || E || {{dts|2004-07-30}} || {{dts|2004-08-06}} || 8
|-
| 161st || E || {{dts|2004-10-12}} || {{dts|2004-12-03}} || 53
|-
| 162nd || R || {{dts|2005-01-21}} || {{dts|2005-08-08}}<br />(dissolution) || 200 (150+55)
|-
| 163rd <small>([[:ja:第163回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|2005-09-21}} || {{dts|2005-11-01}} || 42
|-
| 164th <small>([[:ja:第164回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2006-01-20}} || {{dts|2006-06-18}} || 150
|-
| 165th <small>([[:ja:第165回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|2006-09-26}} || {{dts|2006-12-19}} || 85 (81+4)
|-
| 166th <small>([[:ja:第166回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2007-01-25}} || {{dts|2007-07-05}} || 162 (150+12)
|-
| 167th <small>([[:ja:第167回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2007-08-07}} || {{dts|2007-08-10}} || 4
|-
| 168th <small>([[:ja:第168回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2007-09-10}} || {{dts|2008-01-15}} || 128 (62+66)
|-
| 169th <small>([[:ja:第169回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2008-01-18}} || {{dts|2008-06-21}} || 156 (150+6)
|-
| 170th <small>([[:ja:第170回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2008-09-24}} || {{dts|2008-12-25}} || 93 (68+25)
|-
| 171st <small>([[:ja:第171回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2009-01-05}} || {{dts|2009-07-21}}<br />(dissolution) || 198 (150+55)
|-
| 172nd <small>([[:ja:第172回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|2009-09-16}} || {{dts|2009-09-19}} || 4
|-
| 173rd <small>([[:ja:第173回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2009-10-26}} || {{dts|2009-12-04}} || 40 (36+4)
|-
| 174th <small>([[:ja:第174回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2010-01-18}} || {{dts|2010-06-16}} || 150
|-
| 175th <small>([[:ja:第175回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2010-07-30}} || {{dts|2010-08-06}} || 8
|-
| 176th <small>([[:ja:第176回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2010-10-01}} || {{dts|2010-12-03}} || 64
|-
| 177th <small>([[:ja:第177回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2011-01-24}} || {{dts|2011-08-31}} || 220 (150+70)
|-
| 178th <small>([[:ja:第178回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2011-09-13}} || {{dts|2011-09-30}} || 18 (4+14)
|-
| 179th <small>([[:ja:第179回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2011-10-20}} || {{dts|2011-12-09}} || 51
|-
| 180th <small>([[:ja:第180回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2012-01-24}} || {{dts|2012-09-08}} || 229 (150+79)
|-
| 181st <small>([[:ja:第181回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2012-10-29}} || {{dts|2012-11-16}}<br />(dissolution) || 19 (33)
|-
| 182nd <small>([[:ja:第182回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|2012-12-26}} || {{dts|2012-12-28}} || 3
|-
| 183rd <small>([[:ja:第183回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2013-01-28}} || {{dts|2013-06-26}} || 150
|-
| 184th <small>([[:ja:第184回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2013-08-02}} || {{dts|2013-08-07}} || 6
|-
| 185th <small>([[:ja:第185回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2013-10-15}} || {{dts|2013-12-08}} || 55 (53+2)
|-
| 186th <small>([[:ja:第186回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2014-01-24}} || {{dts|2014-06-22}} || 150
|-
| 187th <small>([[:ja:第187回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2014-09-29}} || {{dts|2014-11-21}}<br />(dissolution) || 54 (63)
|-
| 188th <small>([[:ja:第188回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|2014-12-24}} || {{dts|2014-12-26}} || 3
|-
| 189th <small>([[:ja:第189回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2015-01-26}} || {{dts|2015-09-27}} || 245 (150+95)
|-
| 190th <small>([[:ja:第190回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2016-01-04}} || {{dts|2016-06-01}} || 150
|-
| 191st <small>([[:ja:第191回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2016-08-01}} || {{dts|2016-08-03}} || 3
|-
| 192nd <small>([[:ja:第192回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2016-09-26}} || {{dts|2016-12-17}} || 83 (66+17)
|-
| 193rd <small>([[:ja:第193回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2017-01-20}} || {{dts|2017-06-18}} || 150
|-
| 194th <small>([[:ja:第194回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2017-09-28}} || {{dts|2017-09-28}}<br />(dissolution) || 1
|-
| 195th <small>([[:ja:第195回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|2017-11-01}} || {{dts|2017-12-09}} || 39
|-
| 196th <small>([[:ja:第196回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2018-01-22}} || {{dts|2018-07-22}} || 182 (150+32)
|-
| 197th <small>([[:ja:第197回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2018-10-24}} || {{dts|2018-12-10}} || 48
|-
| 198th <small>([[:ja:第198回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2019-01-28}} || {{dts|2019-06-26}} || 150
|-
| 199th <small>([[:ja:第199回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2019-08-01}} || {{dts|2019-08-05}} || 5
|-
| 200th <small>([[:ja:第200回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2019-10-04}} || {{dts|2019-12-09}} || 67
|-
| 201st <small>([[:ja:第201回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2020-01-20}} || {{dts|2020-06-17}} || 150
|-
| 202nd <small>([[:ja:第202回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2020-09-16}} || {{dts|2020-09-18}} || 3
|-
| 203rd <small>([[:ja:第203回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2020-10-26}} || {{dts|2020-12-05}} || 41
|-
| 204th <small>([[:ja:第204回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2021-01-18}} || {{dts|2021-06-16}} || 150
|-
| 205th <small>([[:ja:第205回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2021-10-04}} || {{dts|2021-10-14}}<br />(dissolution) || 11
|-
| 206th <small>([[:ja:第206回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|2021-11-10}} || {{dts|2021-11-12}} || 3
|-
| 207th <small>([[:ja:第207回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2021-12-06}} || {{dts|2021-12-21}} || 16
|-
| 208th <small>([[:ja:第208回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2022-01-17}} || {{dts|2022-06-15}} || 150
|-
| 209th <small>([[:ja:第209回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2022-08-03}} || {{dts|2022-08-05}} || 3
|-
| 210th <small>([[:ja:第210回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2022-10-03}} || {{dts|2022-12-10}} || 69
|-
| 211th <small>([[:ja:第211回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2023-01-23}} || {{dts|2023-06-21}} || 150
|-
| 212th <small>([[:ja:第212回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2023-10-20}} || {{dts|2023-12-13}} || 55
|-
| 213th <small>([[:ja:第213回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2024-01-26}} || {{dts|2024-06-23}} || 150
|-
| 214th <small>([[:ja:第214回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2024-10-01}} || {{dts|2024-10-09}}<br />(dissolution) || 9
|-
| 215th <small>([[:ja:第215回国会|ja]])</small> || S || {{dts|2024-11-11}} || {{dts|2024-11-14}} || 4
|-
| 216th <small>([[:ja:第216回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2024-11-28}} || {{dts|2024-12-24}} || 27
|-
| 217th <small>([[:ja:第217回国会|ja]])</small> || R || {{dts|2025-01-24}} || {{dts|2025-06-22}} || 150
|-
| 218th <small>([[:ja:第218回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2025-08-01}} || {{dts|2025-08-05}} || 5
|-
| 219th <small>([[:ja:第219回国会|ja]])</small> || E || {{dts|2025-10-21}} || Ongoing ||
|}

== List of House of Representatives general elections ==
=== 19th century ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Election
!Date
!{{nowrap|[[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]] appointed by Emperor}}<br />(during term)
!Turnout
!Seats
!Date of<br>dissolution (D) /<br>expiration of term (E)
!Registered<br>voters
!colspan=3|[[List of political parties in Japan|Largest party]] / Seats Share
! [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]]
|-
| align="center" style="background:#efefef;" colspan="10" |'''Imperial Diet (1890–1947); upper house: [[House of Peers (Japan)|House of Peers]]'''
! rowspan=15 style="font-weight:normal" | '''{{nowrap|[[Emperor Meiji|Meiji]]}}'''<br>{{small|([[Meiji era|era]])}}
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1890 Japanese general election|1st]]
|rowspan=2|1 July 1890
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|[[Yamagata Aritomo]]
|rowspan=2|93.91%
|rowspan="14"|300
|rowspan=2|
| rowspan=2 align="right"|450,872
| bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}} rowspan="10" style="white-space:nowrap" |[[Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)|Constitutional Liberal]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}}|130
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}}|43.33%
|-
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|([[Matsukata Masayoshi]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1892 Japanese general election|2nd]]
|rowspan=2|15 February 1892
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|[[Matsukata Masayoshi]]
|rowspan=2|91.59%
|rowspan=2|(D) December 25, 1891
| rowspan=2 align="right"|434,594
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}}|{{0}}94
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}}|31.33%
|-
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|([[Itō Hirobumi]])
|-
![[March 1894 Japanese general election|3rd]]
|March 1, 1894
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|[[Itō Hirobumi]]
|88.76%
|(D) December 30, 1893
|align="right"|440,113
| bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}}|120
| bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}}|40.00%
|-
!rowspan=3|[[September 1894 Japanese general election|4th]]
|rowspan=3|1 September 1894
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|[[Itō Hirobumi]]
|rowspan=3|84.84%
|rowspan=3|(D) June 2, 1894
|rowspan=3 align="right"|460,483
|rowspan=3 bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}}|107
|rowspan=3 bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}}|35.66%
|-
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|([[Matsukata Masayoshi]])
|-
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|([[Itō Hirobumi]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[March 1898 Japanese general election|5th]]
|rowspan=2|15 March 1898
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|[[Itō Hirobumi]]
|rowspan=2|87.50%
|rowspan=2|(D) December 25, 1897
|rowspan=2 align="right"|452,637
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}}|105
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1890)}}|35.00%
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Kenseitō}}|([[Ōkuma Shigenobu]])
|-
!rowspan=4|[[August 1898 Japanese general election|6th]]
|rowspan=4|10 August 1898
|bgcolor={{party color|Kenseitō}}|[[Ōkuma Shigenobu]]
|rowspan=4|79.91%
|rowspan=4|(D) June 10, 1898
|rowspan=4 align="right"|502,292
|rowspan=4 bgcolor={{party color|Kenseitō}}|[[Kensei Hontō]]
|rowspan=4 bgcolor={{party color|Kenseitō}}|124
|rowspan=4 bgcolor={{party color|Kenseitō}}|41.33%
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Yamagata Aritomo]])
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|([[Itō Hirobumi]])
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Katsura Tarō]])
|}

=== 20th century ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Election
!Date
!{{nowrap|[[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]] appointed by Emperor}}<br />(during term)
!Turnout
!Seats
!Date of<br>dissolution (D) /<br>expiration of term (E)
!Registered<br>voters
!colspan=3|[[List of political parties in Japan|Largest party]] / Seats Share
![[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]]
|-
![[1902 Japanese general election|7th]]
|August 10, 1902
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf" rowspan=2|[[Katsura Tarō]]
|88.39%
|rowspan=2|376
|(E) August 9, 1902
|align="right"|982,868
| rowspan="11" bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|[[Rikken Seiyūkai]]
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|191
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|50.79%
! rowspan=8 style="font-weight:normal" | '''{{nowrap|[[Emperor Meiji|Meiji]]}}'''<br>{{small|([[Meiji era|era]])}}
|-
![[1903 Japanese general election|8th]]
|March 1, 1903
|86.17%
|(D) December 28, 1902
| align="right"|958,322
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|175
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|46.54%
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1904 Japanese general election|9th]]
|rowspan=2|1 March 1904
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|[[Katsura Tarō]]
|rowspan=2|86.06%
|rowspan=5|379
|rowspan=2|(D) December 11, 1903
|rowspan=2 align="right"|762,445
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|133
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|35.09%
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|([[Saionji Kinmochi]])
|-
!rowspan=3|[[1908 Japanese general election|10th]]
|rowspan=3|15 May 1908
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|[[Saionji Kinmochi]]
|rowspan=3|85.29%
|rowspan=3|(E) March 27, 1908
|rowspan=3 align="right"|1,590,045
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|187
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|49.34%
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Katsura Tarō]])
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|([[Saionji Kinmochi]])
|-
!rowspan=4|[[1912 Japanese general election|11th]]
|rowspan=4|15 May 1912
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|[[Saionji Kinmochi]]
|rowspan=4|89.58%
|rowspan=8|381
|rowspan=4|(E) May 14, 1912
|rowspan=4 align="right"|1,506,143
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|209
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|54.85%
|-
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|([[Katsura Tarō]])
! rowspan=14 style="font-weight:normal" | '''{{nowrap|[[Emperor Taishō|Taishō]]}}'''<br>{{small|([[Taishō era|era]])}}
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Yamamoto Gonnohyōe]])
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Doshikai}}|([[Ōkuma Shigenobu]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1915 Japanese general election|12th]]
|rowspan=2|25 March 1915
|bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Doshikai}}|[[Ōkuma Shigenobu]]
|rowspan=2|92.13%
|rowspan=2|(D) December 25, 1914
|rowspan=2 align="right"|1,546,411
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Doshikai}}|[[Rikken Dōshikai]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Doshikai}}|153
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Doshikai}}|40.15%
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Terauchi Masatake]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1917 Japanese general election|13th]]
|rowspan=2|20 April 1917
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|[[Terauchi Masatake]]
|rowspan=2|91.92%
|rowspan=2|(D) January 25, 1917
|rowspan=2 align="right"|1,422,126
|rowspan=7 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|[[Rikken Seiyūkai]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|165
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|43.30%
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|([[Hara Takashi]])
|-
!rowspan=5|[[1920 Japanese general election|14th]]
|rowspan=5|10 May 1920
|bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|[[Hara Takashi]]
|rowspan=5|86.73%
|rowspan=8|464
|rowspan=5|(D) February 26, 1920
|rowspan=5 align="right"|3,069,148
|rowspan=5 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|278
|rowspan=5 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|59.91%
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|([[Takahashi Korekiyo]])
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Katō Tomosaburō]])
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Yamamoto Gonnohyōe]])
|-
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|([[Kiyoura Keigo]])
|-
!rowspan=3|[[1924 Japanese general election|15th]]
|rowspan=3|10 May 1924
|bgcolor={{party color|Kenseikai}}|[[Katō Takaaki]]
|rowspan=3|91.18%
|rowspan=3|(D) January 31, 1924
|rowspan=3 align="right"|3,288,405
|rowspan=3 bgcolor={{party color|Kenseikai}}|[[Kenseikai]]
|rowspan=3 bgcolor={{party color|Kenseikai}}|151
|rowspan=3 bgcolor={{party color|Kenseikai}}|32.54%
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Kenseikai}}|([[Wakatsuki Reijirō]])
|-
|bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|([[Tanaka Giichi]])
! rowspan=57 style="font-weight:normal" | '''{{nowrap|[[Hirohito|Shōwa]]}}'''<br>{{small|([[Shōwa era|era]])}}
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1928 Japanese general election|16th]]
|rowspan=2|20 February 1928
|bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|[[Tanaka Giichi]]
|rowspan=2|80.36%
|rowspan=28|466
|rowspan=2|(D) January 21, 1928
|rowspan=2 align="right"|12,408,678
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|[[Rikken Seiyūkai]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|218
|rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}|46.78%
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|([[Hamaguchi Osachi]])
|-
!rowspan=3|[[1930 Japanese general election|17th]]
|rowspan=3|20 February 1930
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|[[Hamaguchi Osachi]]
|rowspan=3|83.34%
|rowspan=3|(D) January 21, 1930
|rowspan=3 align="right"|12,812,895
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|[[Constitutional Democratic Party (Japan)|Rikken Minseitō]]
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|273
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|58.58%
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|([[Wakatsuki Reijirō]])
|-
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|([[Inukai Tsuyoshi]])
|-
!rowspan=3|[[1932 Japanese general election|18th]]
|rowspan=3|20 February 1932
|bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|[[Inukai Tsuyoshi]]
|rowspan=3|81.68%
|rowspan=3|(D) January 21, 1932
|rowspan=3 align="right"|13,237,841
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|[[Rikken Seiyukai]]
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|301
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Seiyukai}}"|64.59%
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Saitō Makoto]])
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Keisuke Okada]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1936 Japanese general election|19th]]
|rowspan=2|20 February 1936
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|[[Kōki Hirota]]
|rowspan=2|78.65%
|rowspan=2|(D) January 21, 1936
|rowspan=2 align="right"|14,479,553
|rowspan=10 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|[[Constitutional Democratic Party (Japan)|Rikken Minseitō]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|205
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|43.99%
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Senjūrō Hayashi]])
|-
!rowspan=8|[[1937 Japanese general election|20th]]
|rowspan=8|30 April 1937
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|[[Senjūrō Hayashi]]
|rowspan=8|73.31%
|rowspan=8|(D) March 31, 1937
|rowspan=8 align="right"|14,618,298
|rowspan=8 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|179
|rowspan=8 bgcolor="{{party color|Rikken Minseito}}"|38.41%
|-
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|([[Fumimaro Konoe]])
|-
|bgcolor="Gainsboro"|([[Hiranuma Kiichirō]])
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Nobuyuki Abe]])
|-
|bgcolor="#bfbfbf"|([[Mitsumasa Yonai]])
|-
|bgcolor="Gainsboro" | ([[Fumimaro Konoe]])
|-
|bgcolor="#eba5a9" | ([[Fumimaro Konoe]])
|-
|bgcolor="#eba5a9" | ([[Hideki Tojo]])
|-
!rowspan=6|[[1942 Japanese general election|21st]]
|rowspan=6|30 April 1942
|bgcolor="#eba5a9" | [[Hideki Tojo]]
|rowspan=6|83.16%
|rowspan=6|(E) April 29, 1942
|rowspan=6 align="right"|14,594,287
|rowspan=6 bgcolor="#eba5a9" | [[Imperial Rule Assistance Association]]
|rowspan=6 bgcolor="#eba5a9" |381
|rowspan=6 bgcolor="#eba5a9" |81.75%
|-
|bgcolor="#eba5a9" | ([[Kuniaki Koiso]])
|-
|bgcolor="#eba5a9" | ([[Kantarō Suzuki]])
|-
|bgcolor="Gainsboro" | ([[Kantarō Suzuki]])
|-
|bgcolor="#dfd29f"|([[Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni]])
|-
|bgcolor="#ccff99"|([[Kijūrō Shidehara]])
|-
![[1946 Japanese general election|22nd]]
|April 10, 1946
|bgcolor="#99ead5" | [[Shigeru Yoshida]]
|72.08%
|(D) December 18, 1945
|align="right"|36,878,420
|bgcolor="#99ead5" | [[Liberal Party (Japan, 1945)|Liberal]]
|bgcolor="#99ead5" | 141
|bgcolor="#99ead5" | 30.25%
|-
!rowspan=3|[[1947 Japanese general election|23rd]]
|rowspan=3|25 April 1947
|bgcolor="#9cb3d4" | [[Tetsu Katayama]]
|rowspan=3|67.95%
|rowspan=3|(D) March 31, 1947
|rowspan=3 align="right"|40,907,493
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="#9cb3d4" | [[Japan Socialist Party|Socialist]]
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="#9cb3d4" | 143
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="#9cb3d4" | 30.68%
|-
|bgcolor="#ffff7f" | ([[Hitoshi Ashida]])
|-
|bgcolor="#8fc586" | ([[Shigeru Yoshida]])
|-
| align="center" style="background:#efefef;" colspan="10" |'''[[National Diet]] (1947–present); upper house: [[House of Councillors]]'''
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1949 Japanese general election|24th]]
|rowspan=2|23 January 1949
|bgcolor="#8fc586" | [[Shigeru Yoshida]]
|rowspan=2|74.04%
|rowspan=5|466
|rowspan=2|(D) December 23, 1948
|rowspan=2 align="right"|42,105,300
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8fc586" | [[Democratic Liberal Party (Japan)|Democratic Liberal]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8fc586" | 264
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8fc586" | 56.65%
|-
|bgcolor="#8fc586" | ([[Shigeru Yoshida]])
|-
![[1952 Japanese general election|25th]]
|October 1, 1952
|bgcolor="#8fc586" | [[Shigeru Yoshida]]
|76.43%
|(D) August 28, 1952
|align="right"|46,772,584
|bgcolor="#8fc586" | [[Liberal Party (Japan, 1950)|Liberal]]
|bgcolor="#8fc586" | 240
|bgcolor="#8fc586" | 51.50%
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1953 Japanese general election|26th]]
|rowspan=2|19 April 1953
|bgcolor="#8fc586" | [[Shigeru Yoshida]]
|rowspan=2|74.22%
|rowspan=2|(D) March 14, 1953
|rowspan=2 align="right"|47,090,167
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8fc586" |[[Liberal Party (Japan, 1950)|Liberal]]<br>Yoshida faction
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8fc586" |199
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8fc586" |42.70%
|-
|bgcolor="#ccd790" | ([[Ichirō Hatoyama]])
|-
!rowspan=4|[[1955 Japanese general election|27th]]
|rowspan=4|27 February 1955
|bgcolor="#ccd790" | [[Ichirō Hatoyama]]
|rowspan=4|75.84%
|rowspan=9|467
|rowspan=4|(D) January 24, 1955
|rowspan=4 align="right"|49,235,375
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="#ccd790" | [[Japan Democratic Party (1954)|Democratic]]
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="#ccd790"|185
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="#ccd790"|39.61%
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Ichirō Hatoyama]])
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Tanzan Ishibashi]])
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Nobusuke Kishi]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1958 Japanese general election|28th]]
|rowspan=2|22 May 1958
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Nobusuke Kishi]]
|rowspan=2|76.99%
|rowspan=2|(D) April 25, 1958
|rowspan=2 align="right"|52,013,529
|rowspan=31 bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic]]
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|287
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|61.45%
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Hayato Ikeda]])
|-
![[1960 Japanese general election|29th]]
|November 20, 1960
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Hayato Ikeda]]
|73.51%
|(D) October 24, 1960
|align="right"|54,312,993
| bgcolor="#8dc681"|296
| bgcolor="#8dc681"|63.38%
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1963 Japanese general election|30th]]
|rowspan=2|21 November 1963
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Hayato Ikeda]]
|rowspan=2|71.14%
|rowspan=2|(D) October 23, 1963
|rowspan=2 align="right"|58,281,678
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|283
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|60.59%
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Eisaku Satō]])
|-
![[1967 Japanese general election|31st]]
|January 29, 1967
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Eisaku Satō]]
|73.99%
|rowspan=3|486
|(D) December 27, 1966
|align="right"|62,992,796
| bgcolor="#8dc681"|277
| bgcolor="#8dc681"|56.99%
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1969 Japanese general election|32nd]]
|rowspan=2|27 December 1969
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Eisaku Satō]]
|rowspan=2|68.51%
|rowspan=2|(D) December 2, 1969
|rowspan=2 align="right"|69,260,424
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|288
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|59.25%
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Kakuei Tanaka]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1972 Japanese general election|33rd]]
|rowspan=2|10 December 1972
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Kakuei Tanaka]]
|rowspan=2|71.76%
|rowspan=2|491
|rowspan=2|(D) November 13, 1972
|rowspan=2 align="right"|73,769,636
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|271
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|55.19%
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Takeo Miki]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1976 Japanese general election|34th]]
|rowspan=2|5 December 1976
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Takeo Fukuda]]
|rowspan=2|73.45%
|rowspan=6|511
|rowspan=2|(E) December 9, 1976
|rowspan=2 align="right"|77,926,588
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|249
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|48.72%
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Masayoshi Ōhira]])
|-
![[1979 Japanese general election|35th]]
|October 7, 1979
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Masayoshi Ōhira]]
|68.01%
|(D) September 7, 1979
|align="right"|80,169,924
| bgcolor="#8dc681"|248
| bgcolor="#8dc681"|48.53%
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1980 Japanese general election|36th]]
|rowspan=2|22 June 1980
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Zenkō Suzuki]]
|rowspan=2|74.57%
|rowspan=2|(D) May 19, 1980
|rowspan=2 align="right"|80,925,034
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|284
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|55.57%
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Yasuhiro Nakasone]])
|-
![[1983 Japanese general election|37th]]
|December 18, 1983
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Yasuhiro Nakasone]]
|67.94%
|(D) November 28, 1983
|align="right"|84,252,608
| bgcolor="#8dc681"|250
| bgcolor="#8dc681"|48.92%
|-
!rowspan=4|[[1986 Japanese general election|38th]]
|rowspan=4|2 June 1986
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Yasuhiro Nakasone]]
|rowspan=4|71.40%
|rowspan=6|512
|rowspan=4|(D) June 2, 1986
|rowspan=4 align="right"|86,426,845
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="#8dc681"|300
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="#8dc681"|58.59%
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Noboru Takeshita]])
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Sōsuke Uno]])
! rowspan=13 style="font-weight:normal" | {{nowrap|[[Akihito|'''Akihito'''<br>(Heisei)]]}}<br>{{small|([[Heisei era|era]])}}
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Toshiki Kaifu]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[1990 Japanese general election|39th]]
|rowspan=2|18 February 1990
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | [[Toshiki Kaifu]]
|rowspan=2|73.31%
|rowspan=2|(D) January 24, 1990
|rowspan=2 align="right"|90,322,908
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|275
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|53.71%
|-
|bgcolor="#8dc681" | ([[Kiichi Miyazawa]])
|-
!rowspan=4|[[1993 Japanese general election|40th]]
|rowspan=4|18 July 1993
|bgcolor="#81bbb2" | [[Morihiro Hosokawa]]
|rowspan=4|67.26%
|rowspan=4|511
|rowspan=4|(D) June 18, 1993
|rowspan=4 align="right"|94,477,816
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="#8dc681"|223
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="#8dc681"|43.63%
|-
|bgcolor="#7fbdec" | ([[Tsutomu Hata]])
|-
|bgcolor="#9CB3D4" | ([[Tomiichi Murayama]])
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Ryūtarō Hashimoto]])
|-
!rowspan=3|[[1996 Japanese general election|41st]]
|rowspan=3|20 October 1996
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | [[Ryūtarō Hashimoto]]
|rowspan=3|59.65%
|rowspan=3|500
|rowspan=3|(D) September 27, 1996
|rowspan=3 align="right"|97,680,719
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="#8dc681"|239
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="#8dc681"|47.80%
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Keizō Obuchi]])
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Yoshirō Mori]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[2000 Japanese general election|42nd]]
|rowspan=2|25 June 2000
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | [[Yoshirō Mori]]
|rowspan=2|62.49%
|rowspan=2|480
|rowspan=2|(D) June 2, 2000
|rowspan=2 align="right"|100,492,328
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|233
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8dc681"|48.54%
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Junichiro Koizumi]])
|}

=== 21st century ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Election
!Date
! {{nowrap|[[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]] appointed by Emperor}}<br />(during term)
!Turnout
!Seats
!Date of<br>dissolution (D) /<br>expiration of term (E)
!Registered<br>voters
!colspan=3|[[List of political parties in Japan|Largest party]] / Seats Share
![[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]]
|-
![[2003 Japanese general election|43rd]]
|9 November 2003
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | [[Junichiro Koizumi]]
|59.86%
|rowspan=9|480
|(D) 10 October 2003
|align="right"|102,306,684
|rowspan=5 bgcolor="#8DC681" | [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic]]
| bgcolor="#8dc681"|237
| bgcolor="#8dc681"|49.37%
! rowspan=11 style="font-weight:normal" | {{nowrap|[[Akihito|'''Akihito'''<br>(Heisei)]]}}<br>{{small|([[Heisei era|era]])}}
|-
!rowspan=4|[[2005 Japanese general election|44th]]
|rowspan=4|11 September 2005
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | [[Junichiro Koizumi]]
|rowspan=4|67.51%
|rowspan=4|(D) 8 August 2005
|rowspan=4 align="right"|103,067,966
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="#8dc681"|296
|rowspan=4 bgcolor="#8dc681"|61.66%
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Shinzo Abe]])
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Yasuo Fukuda]])
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Tarō Asō]])
|-
!rowspan=3|[[2009 Japanese general election|45th]]
|rowspan=3|30 August 2009
|bgcolor="#f59999" | [[Yukio Hatoyama]]
|rowspan=3|69.28%
|rowspan=3|(D) 21 July 2009
|rowspan=3 align="right"|104,057,361
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="#f59999" | [[Democratic Party of Japan|Democratic]]
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="#f59999"|308
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="#f59999"|64.16%
|-
|bgcolor="#f59999" | ([[Naoto Kan]])
|-
|bgcolor="#f59999" | ([[Yoshihiko Noda]])
|-
![[2012 Japanese general election|46th]]
|16 December 2012
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8DC681" | [[Shinzo Abe]]
|59.32%
|(D) 16 November 2012
|align="right"|103,959,866
| bgcolor="#8DC681" rowspan="9" |[[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic]]
|bgcolor="#8DC681"|294
|bgcolor="#8DC681"|61.25%
|-
![[2014 Japanese general election|47th]]
|14 December 2014
|52.66%
|475
|(D) 21 November 2014
|align="right"|104,067,104
|bgcolor="#8DC681"|291
|bgcolor="#8DC681"|61.26%
|-
!rowspan=3|[[2017 Japanese general election|48th]]
|rowspan=3|22 October 2017
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | [[Shinzo Abe]]
|rowspan=3|53.68%
|rowspan=7|465
|rowspan=3|(D) 28 September 2017
|rowspan=3 align="right"|106,091,229
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="#8DC681"|284
|rowspan=3 bgcolor="#8DC681"|61.08%
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Yoshihide Suga]])
! rowspan=6 style="font-weight:normal" | {{nowrap|[[Naruhito|'''Naruhito'''<br>(Reiwa)]]}}<br>{{small|([[Reiwa era|era]])}}
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Fumio Kishida]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[2021 Japanese general election|49th]]
|rowspan=2|31 October 2021
|bgcolor="#8DC681"|[[Fumio Kishida]]
|rowspan=2|55.93%
|rowspan=2|(D) 14 October 2021
|rowspan=2 align="right"|105,622,758
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8DC681"|261
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8DC681"|56.12%
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Shigeru Ishiba]])
|-
!rowspan=2|[[2024 Japanese general election|50th]]
|rowspan=2|27 October 2024
|bgcolor="#8DC681"|[[Shigeru Ishiba]]
|rowspan=2|53.85%
|rowspan=2|(D) 9 October 2024
| rowspan=2 align="right"|103,880,749
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8DC681"|191
|rowspan=2 bgcolor="#8DC681"|41.08%
|-
|bgcolor="#8DC681" | ([[Sanae Takaichi]])
|}

== List of House of Councillors regular elections ==
=== 20th century ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Election!![[Cabinet of Japan|Cabinet]]!![[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]]!!Date!!Turnout!!Total<br>seats!!Elected<br>seats!!Term<br>expiration<br>date!!colspan=4|[[List of political parties in Japan|Largest party]] / Seats share!![[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]]
|-
![[1947 Japanese House of Councillors election|1st]]
|[[First Yoshida Cabinet|Yoshida I]]||rowspan=3|[[Shigeru Yoshida]]||20 April 1947||61.12%||rowspan="8"|250||250||style="text-align:left"|2 May 1953
| style="background-color: {{Party color|Japan Socialist Party}}"| ||[[Japan Socialist Party|Socialist]]||47||18.80%
! rowspan=14 style="font-weight:normal" | '''{{nowrap|[[Hirohito|Shōwa]]}}'''<br>{{small|([[Shōwa era|era]])}}
|-
![[1950 Japanese House of Councillors election|2nd]]
|[[First Yoshida Cabinet|Yoshida III]]||4 June 1950||72.19%||rowspan="7"|125||style="text-align:left"|3 June 1956
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{Party color|Liberal Party (Japan, 1950)}}"| ||rowspan=2|[[Liberal Party (Japan, 1950)|Liberal]]||76||30.40%
|-
![[1953 Japanese House of Councillors election|3rd]]
|[[Fourth Yoshida Cabinet|Yoshida IV]]||24 April 1953||63.18%||style="text-align:left"|2 May 1959
|93||37.20%
|-
![[1956 Japanese House of Councillors election|4th]]
|[[Third Ichirō Hatoyama Cabinet|I. Hatoyama III]]||[[Ichirō Hatoyama]]||8 July 1956||62.11%||style="text-align:left"|7 July 1962
| rowspan=15 style="background-color: {{Party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}"| ||rowspan=15 style="white-space:nowrap" |[[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic]]||122||48.80%
|-
![[1959 Japanese House of Councillors election|5th]]
|[[Second Kishi Cabinet|Kishi II]]||[[Nobusuke Kishi]]||2 June 1959||58.75%||style="text-align:left"|1 June 1965
|132||52.80%
|-
![[1962 Japanese House of Councillors election|6th]]
|[[Second Ikeda Cabinet|Ikeda II]]||[[Hayato Ikeda]]||1 July 1962||68.22%||style="text-align:left"|7 July 1968
|142||56.80%
|-
![[1965 Japanese House of Councillors election|7th]]
|[[First Satō Cabinet|Satō I]]||rowspan=3|[[Eisaku Satō]]||4 July 1965||67.02%||style="text-align:left"|1 July 1971
|140||55.77%
|-
![[1968 Japanese House of Councillors election|8th]]
|[[Second Satō Cabinet|Satō II]]||7 July 1968||68.94%||style="text-align:left"|7 July 1974
|142||54.80%
|-
![[1971 Japanese House of Councillors election|9th]]
|[[Third Satō Cabinet|Satō III]]||27 June 1971||59.24%||rowspan="6"|252||rowspan="6"|126||style="text-align:left"|10 July 1977
|131||52.61%
|-
![[1974 Japanese House of Councillors election|10th]]
|[[Second Tanaka Cabinet|K. Tanaka II]]||[[Kakuei Tanaka]]||7 July 1974||73.20%||style="text-align:left"|7 July 1980
|126||50.40%
|-
![[1977 Japanese House of Councillors election|11th]]
|[[Takeo Fukuda Cabinet|T. Fukuda]]||[[Takeo Fukuda]]||10 July 1977||68.49%||style="text-align:left"|9 July 1983
|124||49.79%
|-
![[1980 Japanese House of Councillors election|12th]]
|[[Second Ōhira Cabinet|Ōhira II]]||[[Masayoshi Ōhira]]||22 June 1980||74.54%||style="text-align:left"|7 July 1986
|135||54.00%
|-
![[1983 Japanese House of Councillors election|13th]]
|[[First Nakasone Cabinet|Nakasone I]]||rowspan=2|[[Yasuhiro Nakasone]]||26 June 1983||57.00%||style="text-align:left"|9 July 1989
|137||54.36%
|-
![[1986 Japanese House of Councillors election|14th]]
|[[Second Nakasone Cabinet|Nakasone II (R2)]]||6 July 1986||71.36%||style="text-align:left"|7 July 1992
|143||56.74%
|-
![[1989 Japanese House of Councillors election|15th]]
|[[Uno Cabinet|Uno]]||[[Sōsuke Uno]]||23 July 1989||65.02%||rowspan="4"|252||rowspan="4"|126||style="text-align:left"|22 July 1995
|109||43.25%
! rowspan=4 style="font-weight:normal" | [[Akihito|'''Akihito'''<br>(Heisei)]]<br>{{small|([[Heisei era|era]])}}
|-
![[1992 Japanese House of Councillors election|16th]]
|[[Miyazawa Cabinet|Miyazawa]]||[[Kiichi Miyazawa]]||26 July 1992||50.72%||style="text-align:left"|25 July 1998
|107||42.46%
|-
![[1995 Japanese House of Councillors election|17th]]
|[[Murayama Cabinet|Murayama]]||[[Tomiichi Murayama]]||23 July 1995||44.52%||style="text-align:left"|22 July 2001
|111||44.04%
|-
![[1998 Japanese House of Councillors election|18th]]
|[[Second Hashimoto Cabinet|Hashimoto II (R)]]||[[Ryutaro Hashimoto]]||12 July 1998||58.84%||style="text-align:left"|25 July 2004
|103||40.87%
|}

=== 21st century ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Election!![[Cabinet of Japan|Cabinet]]!![[Prime Minister of Japan|Prime Minister]]!!Date!!Turnout!!Total<br>seats!!Elected<br>seats!!Term<br>expiration<br>date!!colspan=4|[[List of political parties in Japan|Majority party]] / Seats share!![[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]]
|-
![[2001 Japanese House of Councillors election|19th]]
|[[First Koizumi Cabinet|Koizumi I]]||rowspan=2|[[Junichiro Koizumi]]||29 July 2001||56.44%||247||rowspan="6"|121||style="text-align:left"|28 July 2007
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{Party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}"| ||rowspan=2 style="white-space:nowrap" |[[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic]]||111||44.93%
! rowspan=6 style="font-weight:normal" | [[Akihito|'''Akihito'''<br>(Heisei)]]<br>{{small|([[Heisei era|era]])}}
|-
![[2004 Japanese House of Councillors election|20th]]
|[[Second Koizumi Cabinet|Koizumi II]]||11 July 2004||56.57%||rowspan="5"|242||style="text-align:left"|25 July 2010
|115||47.52%
|-
![[2007 Japanese House of Councillors election|21st]]
|[[First Abe Cabinet|S. Abe I]]||[[Shinzo Abe]]||29 July 2007||58.64%||style="text-align:left"|28 July 2013
| rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{Party color|Democratic Party of Japan}}"| ||rowspan=2 style="white-space:nowrap" |[[Democratic Party of Japan|Democratic]]||109||45.04%
|-
![[2010 Japanese House of Councillors election|22nd]]
|[[Kan Cabinet|Kan]]||[[Naoto Kan]]||11 July 2010||57.92%||style="text-align:left"|25 July 2016
|106||43.80%
|-
![[2013 Japanese House of Councillors election|23rd]]
|[[Second Abe Cabinet|S. Abe II]]||rowspan=3|[[Shinzo Abe]]||21 July 2013||52.61%||style="text-align:left"|28 July 2019
| rowspan=5 style="background-color: {{Party color|Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)}}"| ||rowspan=5 style="white-space:nowrap" |[[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic]]||115||47.52%
|-
![[2016 Japanese House of Councillors election|24th]]
|[[Third Abe Cabinet|S. Abe III (R1)]]||10 July 2016||54.70%||style="text-align:left"|25 July 2022
|121||50.00%
|-
![[2019 Japanese House of Councillors election|25th]]
|[[Fourth Abe Cabinet|S. Abe IV (R1)]]||21 July 2019||48.80%||245||rowspan="2"|124||style="text-align:left"|28 July 2025
|113||46.12%
! rowspan=3 style="font-weight:normal" | [[Naruhito|'''Naruhito'''<br>(Reiwa)]]<br>{{small|([[Reiwa era|era]])}}
|-
![[2022 Japanese House of Councillors election|26th]]
|[[Second Kishida Cabinet|Kishida II]]||[[Fumio Kishida]]||10 July 2022||52.05%||248||style="text-align:left"|25 July 2028
|119||47.98%
|-
![[2025 Japanese House of Councillors election|27th]]
|[[Second Ishiba Cabinet|Ishiba II]]||[[Shigeru Ishiba]]||20 July 2025||58.51%||248||125||style="text-align:left"|28 July 2031
|101||40.73%
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Japan|Politics}}
* [[Bicameralism]]
* [[Diet (assembly)]]
* [[Government of Japan]]
* [[History of Japan]]
* [[List of legislatures by country]]
* [[List of members of the Diet of Japan]]
** [[List of current members of the House of Representatives of Japan]]
** [[List of current members of the House of Councillors]]
* [[National Diet Building]]
* [[National Diet Library]]
* [[Parliamentary system]]
* [[Politics of Japan]]
* [[:ja:国会開会式]] – Opening ceremony of National Diet

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Diet of Japan}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20021018164307/http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/data/diet.html National Diet Library: Diet and Parliaments] has the Diet minutes and additional information {{in lang|ja}} (archived 18 October 2002)

{{Japan topics}}
{{National bicameral legislatures}}
{{Asia topic|Parliament of}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Diet Of Japan}}
[[Category:National Diet| ]]
[[Category:Bicameral legislatures|Japan]]
[[Category:National legislatures|Japan]]
[[Category:1890 establishments in Japan]]