Japan, July 2025: Party-by-Party Breakdown of Gains, Losses and Impact

Japan, July 2025 Election: Party-by-Party Breakdown of Gains, Losses and Impact

TOKYO, Japan – July 23, 2025.
The Japan Upper House election, held on July 20, 2025, has reshaped the parliamentary landscape, with each political party experiencing distinct shifts in their representation. A closer look at individual party performance reveals the nuances of voter sentiment and the potential for new political dynamics, impacting the overall balance of power.

Three main takeaways:

1.LDP's Diminished Dominance: The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), while remaining the largest party, experienced a significant loss of 13 representatives, weakening their grip on the Upper House and likely necessitating more coalition building or compromise to pass legislation.

2.Key Opposition Gains: The Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) saw a substantial gain of 13 representatives, positioning them as a stronger opposition force, while the ultraconservative Sanseito party also surged, adding 14 representatives and indicating a rising new conservative voice.

3.Shifts Among Smaller Parties: Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner, lost 6 seats, potentially impacting the ruling alliance's strength, while other parties like the CDP (down 3), JCP (down 4), and NHK Party (down 1) saw declines, and Reiwa Shinsengumi, JIP, SDP, and Independents each gained 1, with CPJ and Mirai emerging as new entrants.

Let us take a look at each party that now will have seats, in terms of representatives gained or lost, along with a brief description of their platforms:

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) -13
A major conservative political party that has dominated Japanese politics for much of the post-war history, advocating for free-market economics, traditional values, and a strong emphasis on national security. Despite remaining the largest party, the LDP experienced the most significant loss, shedding 13 representatives. This reduction from their previous strength will undoubtedly impact their ability to unilaterally pass legislation and may necessitate seeking broader consensus.

Komeito -6
A political party generally considered centrist and socially conservative, founded by the leader of Soka Gakkai, and often forms a coalition with the LDP. As a key coalition partner to the LDP, Komeito faced a notable setback, losing 6 representatives. This weakening of their position could put pressure on the ruling coalition's stability and influence their bargaining power.

The LDP and Komeito coalition has the Prime Minister, but are now weakened with 19 representatives.
Let us have a look at the other changes, party for party.

Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) -3
A liberal and centre-left political party, and the primary opposition force, advocating for policies like raising the minimum wage, expanded welfare, and gender equality. The CDP saw a decrease of 3 representatives. This modest decline suggests a challenge in consolidating opposition votes, even as the LDP's numbers fell.

Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) +13
A centre to centre-right, conservative and populist political party in Japan, often engaging in negotiations with the government on issues like wage increases. Emerging as one of the election's biggest winners, the DPFP gained a substantial 13 representatives. This impressive increase significantly bolsters their presence in the Upper House, positioning them as a more influential force in opposition politics and potential coalition building.

Japan Innovation Party (JIP) +1
A conservative and centre-right to right-wing populist political party that advocates decentralization, free education, and limited government policies, primarily focused in the Osaka region. The JIP secured a modest gain of 1 representative. While not a dramatic shift, it indicates a continued, albeit slow, growth for the party.

Sanseito +14
An ultraconservative, right-wing populist political party in Japan, known for its "Japanese First" platform, anti-immigration stance, and skepticism towards conventional parties. This party achieved remarkable growth, adding a significant 14 representatives. Sanseito's surge is one of the most striking outcomes of the election, indicating a rising conservative voice and potentially attracting voters disillusioned with mainstream parties. Their increased presence could introduce new policy debates and alliances.

Japanese Communist Party (JCP) -4
A Marxist–Leninist–Maoist communist party in Japan, historically focused on social progress and challenging despotic politics, with a stance against U.S. domination over Japan. The JCP continued its trend of declining representation, losing 4 representatives. This result further diminishes their influence in the Upper House.

Reiwa Shinsengumi +1
A progressive and left-wing populist political party founded by actor-turned-politician Taro Yamamoto, advocating for policies like the abolition of consumption tax, anti-nuclear power, and support for disability rights and LGBT rights. This party saw a slight increase, gaining 1 representative. This incremental growth suggests a steady, albeit small, base of support.

Conservative Party of Japan (CPJ) +2 (New)
A conservative, Japanese ultranationalist and right-wing populist political party, founded in 2023, that claims to "protect Japan's national polity and traditional culture" and opposes immigration and LGBTQ rights. Marked as "New," CPJ has entered the Upper House, signifying a new political entity in the parliament with a strong right-wing stance.

Mirai +1 (New)
This is a newly emerged party in the Upper House without a widely established public profile at this time, whose appearance indicates another new political force.

Social Democratic Party (SDP) +1
A political party advocating against constitutional revision, promoting limiting the Self-Defense Forces to exclusively defense-oriented policy, and advocating for social welfare. The SDP managed to gain 1 representative. This small increase offers a glimmer of positive momentum for the long-standing left-leaning party.

NHK Party -1
A populist and right-wing political party in Japan whose original goal was to oppose the license fees for the national broadcasting organization NHK. This party experienced a loss of 1 representative.

Independents (Ind.) +1
These are individuals who ran without a party affiliation, often representing diverse local or single-issue interests. Independent candidates collectively saw an increase of 1 representative. This highlights the enduring appeal of non-party affiliations for some voters.

The election results underscore a dynamic and evolving political landscape in Japan. While the LDP remains the dominant force, the significant gains and losses among various parties, particularly the substantial growth of DPFP and Sanseito, suggest a more diverse and potentially more unpredictable Upper House in the coming term. The performance of each party will undoubtedly shape the legislative agenda and the formation of political alliances in Japan.

Read More

1. Japan’s Upper House Election: Prolonged Instability
   Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), July 21, 2025
   https://www.csis.org/analysis/japans-upper-house-election-prolonged-instability

2. Ishiba's LDP Coalition Loses Majority in Japan's Upper House Election
   Nippon.com, July 22, 2025
   https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h02485/

3. 2025 Japanese House of Councillors election
   Wikipedia, last updated June 2024, includes details of the 2025 election
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Japanese_House_of_Councillors_election

4. Japan PM laments 'harsh' election result as upper house showdown looms
   CNN, July 20, 2025
   https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/20/asia/japan-upper-house-election-ldp-intl

5. Japan’s shaky government loses upper house control
   Reuters, July 21, 2025
   https://www.reuters.com/world/japans-shaky-government-loses-upper-house-control-2025-07-21/

6. Japan PM Ishiba says will stay in office after coalition's defeat
   Al Jazeera, July 20, 2025
   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/20/japans-far-right-party-makes-electoral-gains-with-anti-globalist-message

7. Japan's governing coalition loses upper house election
   AP News, July 20, 2025
   https://apnews.com/article/japan-politics-election-ishiba-parliament-vote-fcc2fb4cce609240d1c2369bf4090e26

8. Japan’s PM vows to stay on despite bruising election loss
   BBC News, July 20, 2025
   https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8xvn90yr8go

9. Japan ruling party's election loss is in the price, investors say
   Reuters, July 20, 2025
   https://www.reuters.com/business/japan-ruling-partys-election-loss-is-price-investors-say-2025-07-20/