JIP, DPFP back plan by Japan's ruling LDP to cut 31 lower house proportional seats

On October 28, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Nippon Ishin (JIP), along with the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP), announced their support for an LDP proposal to cut 31 proportional representation seats in Japan's House of Representatives. The three parties are expected to reach a formal agreement by October 29 and will work towards introducing a bill during the current Diet session.

The LDP had proposed eliminating 45 seats initially, but revised the figure to 31 based on an estimated population decline of 6.7% between the 2015 census and the projected population in 2030. The DPFP initially proposed cutting 19 seats, stating it would accept a reduction reflecting the population decline. If the bill is enacted, it would represent the largest-ever reduction under a single electoral reform, reducing the number of lower house seats from 465 to 434.

The proposal includes eight measures, such as merging the Shikoku and Chugoku proportional representation blocs, reducing the total number of blocs from 11 to 10, and introducing a joint-list system for multiple parties to seek proportional representation seats together. Six opposition parties expressed opposition to the proposal.