2016 Tokyo 10th district by-election

A by-election for the Tokyo 10th district in the Japanese Japanese House of Representatives was held on 23 October 2016 to replace Yuriko Koike, who vacated the seat to contest the Tokyo gubernatorial election in July 2016. Koike, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), had represented the district since the December 2012 general election and also served a previous term from 2005 to 2009. The election was won by LDP candidate Masaru Wakasa, an incumbent member for the Tokyo proportional representation block who had supported Koike during her gubernatorial campaign. A separate by-election for the Fukuoka 6th district was held on the same day.[1]

2016 Tokyo 10th district by-election

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Tokyo 10th district
Turnout34.85
 
Masaru Wakasa IMG 5348 20130706 (cropped).JPG
Nominee Masaru Wakasa Yosuke Suzuki Toshimitsu Yoshii
Party Liberal Democratic Democratic Happiness Realization
Popular vote 75,755 47,141 2,824
Percentage 60.26% 37.50% 2.25%

Representative before election

Yuriko Koike
Liberal Democratic

Elected Representative

Masaru Wakasa
Liberal Democratic

Background edit

Yuriko Koike, a Kansai native who had represented various Kansai districts in the House of Representatives since 1993, was parachuted into the Tokyo 10th district by LDP Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for the 2005 general election following the defection of Koki Kobayashi [ja], who had held the seat for the LDP since its creation in 1996. Koike defeated Kobayashi in the 2005 election but lost to Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) candidate Takako Ebata in 2009. Koike regained the seat from Ebata at the 2012 election and retained it at the 2014 general election.

Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe resigned in June 2016 due to various problems with his use of public funds. On 29 June Koike held a press conference and stated her intention to contest the gubernatorial election to replace Masuzoe that was scheduled for 31 July.[2] On 5 July Koike met with Nobuteru Ishihara, the head of the LDP's Tokyo branch, to formally request the LDP's endorsement. However, with the branch planning to endorse former Iwate Prefecture governor Hiroya Masuda, Ishihara's response to Koike was that the branch would make a decision after the national House of Councillors election on 10 July.[3]

Candidates edit

Candidates[4]
  Democratic Yosuke Suzuki Supported by the Communist, Liberal and Social Democratic parties.[5]
  Liberal Democratic Masaru Wakasa Incumbent representative for the Tokyo proportional representation block. Received official endorsement from Komeito.[6]
  Happiness Realization Toshimitsu Yoshii Listed as an independent in official documents[4]

Results edit

Tokyo 10th district by-election, 2016[7][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democratic Masaru Wakasa
(endorsed by Komeito)
75,755 60.26
Democratic Yosuke Suzuki 47,141 37.50
Happiness Realization Toshimitsu Yoshii 2,824 2.25
Turnout 127,965 34.85 -18.71

References edit

  1. ^ "LDP, Koike mend fences ahead of by-election for her former seat". Japan Times. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  2. ^ "小池元防衛相が出馬表明=都知事選" [Former Defence Minister Koike intends to contest Tokyo gubernatorial election]. Jiji (in Japanese). 29 June 2016. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  3. ^ "石原氏、会談で小池氏に「参院選後に結論出す」" [Ishihara meets with Koike "Decision after the House of Councillors election"]. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 5 July 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  4. ^ a b "平成28年10月23日執行 衆議院議員補欠選挙(東京都第10区) 立候補者一覧" [23 October 2016 Tokyo 10th District By-Election List of Candidates] (PDF) (in Japanese). Tokyo Metropolitan Electoral Commission. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  5. ^ "【衆院ダブル補選】東京10区は小池百合子氏支援の自民・若狭勝氏が勝利 福岡6区は鳩山邦夫氏の次男が分裂選挙を制す" [(House of Reps. Double By-Election) LDP's Masaru Wakasa supported by Yuriko Koike wins Tokyo 10th, Kunio Hatoyama's second son victorious in divisive Fukuoka 6th election (Page 2)]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). 23 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  6. ^ "【衆院ダブル補選】東京10区は小池百合子氏支援の自民・若狭勝氏が勝利 福岡6区は鳩山邦夫氏の次男が分裂選挙を制す" [(House of Reps. Double By-Election) LDP's Masaru Wakasa supported by Yuriko Koike wins Tokyo 10th, Kunio Hatoyama's second son victorious in divisive Fukuoka 6th election (Page 1)]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). 23 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  7. ^ "衆議院(小選挙区選出)議員補欠選挙 候補者別得票数(全候補)" [House of Representatives (Individual Districts) By-Election Results by Candidate (All Candidates)] (PDF) (in Japanese). Tokyo Metropolitan Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  8. ^ "衆議院(小選挙区選出)議員補欠選挙 投票結果 (国内+在外)" [House of Representatives (Individual Districts) By-Election Turnout (Inside and Outside Japan)] (PDF) (in Japanese). Tokyo Metropolitan Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.