The 2007 japanese house of councillors election

The 28 July 2007 House of Councillors election in Japan produced an opposition majority for the first time in history, as the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) wrested control of this upper chamber of parliament (Diet) from the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-Komeito coalition. While government composition is determined in the House of Representatives (lower chamber), where the governing parties still commands a two-thirds majority, prime minister Abe Shinzo stepped down in mid September in the face of legislative deadlock resulting from non-concurrent majorities in the two chambers. This report discusses the political background, electoral rules, results, and implications of the election, and comments on the prospects of government alternation in the near future.