Reiwa 7 (Gyo-Ke) 1 Population Proportional Election Litigation

In February 2025, voters and constitutional scholars filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo High Court to invalidate the October 2024 general election for the House of Representatives. The plaintiffs argued that the maximum vote-value disparity of over 2.0 between districts violated the constitutional principle of equality. This case, named after the new Reiwa era designation, became the lead administrative litigation challenging the election's legitimacy. The court scrutinized the legislative framework of the Public Offices Election Act, weighing the state's interest in stable representation against the constitutional demand for proportional equality among voters, marking a pivotal post-2024 election judicial review.

The Tokyo High Court ruled in March 2025 that the disparity, although undesirable, was not severe enough to declare the election unconstitutional, dismissing the claims while urging the Diet to promptly correct the imbalance.

Whether the maximum vote-value disparity exceeding 2.0 in the October 2024 general election constituted a violation of Article 14 (equality under the law) and Article 44 of the Constitution, thereby rendering the election void or unconstitutional.

The ruling reignited public and political debate on electoral reform, with civil society groups criticizing the judiciary's deference to legislative discretion. It placed pressure on lawmakers to accelerate redistricting efforts to restore public trust in the democratic process, though it fell short of judicially mandating a specific solution.