Overview
- Hiroshima High Court on Nov. 25 declared the July House of Councillors election in a state of unconstitutionality, issuing the final ruling in a nationwide set of lawsuits.
- Across all 16 high-court and branch decisions, 11 found a constitutional problem and 5 found the vote constitutional.
- Despite critical findings, every court rejected plaintiffs’ requests to invalidate the election results.
- The July contest featured a maximum vote-value disparity of 3.13 times, widening by 0.10 points from the previous election.
- Multiple rulings criticized the Diet’s slow reform efforts, with Tokyo High Court warning that inaction before the 2028 election could force an unconstitutional finding as the Supreme Court prepares a unified ruling in 2026.