1955 Japanese general election
1955 Japanese general election Turnout 75.83% ( 1.62pp)
First party
Second party
Leader
Ichirō Hatoyama
Taketora Ogata
Party
Democratic
Liberal
Last election
26.71%, 111 seats[ a]
38.95%, 199 seats
Seats won
185
112
Seat change
74
87
Popular vote
13,536,044
9,849,458
Percentage
36.57%
26.61%
Swing
9.86pp
12.34pp
Third party
Fourth party
Leader
Mosaburō Suzuki
Jōtarō Kawakami
Party
Left Socialist
Right Socialist
Last election
13.05%, 72 seats
13.52%, 66 seats
Seats won
89
67
Seat change
17
1
Popular vote
5,683,312
5,129,594
Percentage
15.35%
13.86%
Swing
2.30pp
0.34pp
Districts shaded according to winners' vote strength
General elections were held in Japan on 27 February 1955. The result was a victory for the Japan Democratic Party , which won 185 of the 467 seats.[ 1] Voter turnout was 76%.
On 15 November 1955, the Japan Democratic Party and the Liberal Party combined as the modern Liberal Democratic Party , which ruled Japan continuously until 1993. The Rightist Socialist Party of Japan and the Leftist Socialist Party of Japan also merged to form the Japan Socialist Party , which was Japan's largest opposition party in the 1955 system .
Results
Party Votes % Seats +/– Democratic Party 13,536,044 36.57 185 New Liberal Party 9,849,458 26.61 112 –87 Left Socialist Party of Japan 5,683,312 15.35 89 +17 Right Socialist Party of Japan 5,129,594 13.86 67 +1 Japanese Communist Party 733,121 1.98 2 +1 Labourers and Farmers Party 357,611 0.97 4 –1 Other parties 496,614 1.34 2 – Independents 1,229,082 3.32 6 –5 Total 37,014,836 100.00 467 +1 Valid votes 37,014,836 99.14 Invalid/blank votes 319,499 0.86 Total votes 37,334,335 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 49,235,375 75.83 Source: Oscarsson , Masumi
By prefecture
Notes
References
^ Nohlen D, Grotz F, & Hartmann C (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II , p381 ISBN 0-19-924959-8