Taro MURAKAMI
On August 30, 2009, in Japan, a general election of the Lower House (Syûgi-in) was held according to its dissolution of July 21 by the Prime Minister Asô, based on Article 7 of Japanese Constitution. Before the election, in the Lower House (the quorum is 480 seats), the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had held a single majority and had kept the regime with the Kômei Party. By contrast, in the Upper House, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the Japanese Communist Party (JCP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the People’s New Party (PNP) and so on, which constituted the anti-LDP power, held the majority. Thus, there had existed a so-called “twisted Diet”. Japanese Constitution attributes the priority powers to the Lower House over the Upper House (Sangi-in) on the important decisions (budget, laws, nomination of the Prime Minister, etc.).
