1979 Japanese general election

7 October 1979
All 511 seats in the House of Representatives of Japan 256 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	68.0% (5.4%)
First party Second party Third party   CGP Leader Masayoshi Ōhira Ichio Asukata Yoshikatsu Takeiri Party Liberal Democratic Socialist Kōmeitō Leader since 1 December 1978 13 December 1977 13 February 1967 Last election 249 seats, 43.2% 123 seats, 21.9% 55 seats, 10.9% Seats won 248 107 57 Seat change 1 16 2 Popular vote 24,084,131 10,643,450 5,282,683 Percentage 44.59% 19.71% 9.78% Swing 1.4pp 2.2pp 1.1pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   DSP Leader Kenji Miyamoto Sasaki Ryōsaku Yōhei Kōno Party Communist Democratic Socialist New Liberal Club Leader since 1 August 1958 June 1976 Last election 17 seats, 10.4% 29 seats, 6.3% 17 seats, 4.2% Seats won 39 35 4 Seat change 22 6 13 Popular vote 5,625,528 3,663,692 1,631,812 Percentage 10.4% 6.78% 3.02% Swing 0.5pp 1.2pp   Seventh party   SDF Leader Hideo Den Party Socialist Democratic Leader since March 1978 Last election – Seats won 2 Seat change New Popular vote 368,660 Percentage 0.68% Swing New
Prime Minister before election Masayoshi Ōhira Liberal Democratic Prime Minister after election Masayoshi Ōhira Liberal Democratic

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General elections were held in Japan on 7 October 1979 to elect the 511 members of the House of Representatives. Prime Minister Ōhira Masayoshi's announcement that a consumption (sales) tax would be imposed was a hot-button issue in the run-up to the election. Facing widespread public disapproval, the prime minister abandoned the tax proposal.^[1] The prime minister's party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), ended up losing one seat, while the Japan Communist Party experienced a surge in voter support and its best ever electoral result, which mostly came at the expense of the Japan Socialist Party and the LDP-breakaway New Liberal Club.

This was the first election in the LDP's history in which the party increased its share of the popular vote compared to the previous election.

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Liberal Democratic Party	24,084,131	44.59	248	–1
	Japan Socialist Party	10,643,450	19.71	107	–16
	Japanese Communist Party	5,625,528	10.42	39	+22
	Kōmeitō	5,282,683	9.78	57	+2
	Democratic Socialist Party	3,663,692	6.78	35	+6
	New Liberal Club	1,631,812	3.02	4	–13
	Socialist Democratic Federation	368,660	0.68	2	New
	Other parties	69,101	0.13	0	–
	Independents	2,641,064	4.89	19	–2
Total		54,010,121	100.00	511	0
Valid votes		54,010,121	99.06
Invalid/blank votes		511,892	0.94
Total votes		54,522,013	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		80,169,924	68.01
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, National Diet

References