1946 Japanese General Election

First with women voting

10 April 1946 · Occupation and the road to 1955 · 468 seats, 235 for a majority

General elections were held in Japan on 10 April 1946, the first after World War II, during the Allied occupation. All 468 seats in the House of Representatives were elected by limited voting.

Prime Minister before

Kijūrō Shidehara

Independent

Prime Minister after

Shigeru Yoshida

Liberal

Largest force

Liberal Party

141 of 468 seats

Turnout

72.1%

The result

Sort by

Liberal Party

Ichirō Hatoyama · 24.4% of votes

141

seats

Japan Progressive Party

Chūji Machida · 18.7% of votes

seats

Japan Socialist Party

Tetsu Katayama · 17.9% of votes

seats

Independents

20.3% of votes

seats

Other parties

11.7% of votes

seats

Japan Cooperative Party

Yamamoto Sanehiko · 3.3% of votes

seats

Japanese Communist Party

3.9% of votes

seats


Liberal Party	Ichirō Hatoyama	141	—	13,505,746	24.4%	—
Japan Progressive Party	Chūji Machida	94	—	10,350,530	18.7%	—
Japan Socialist Party	Tetsu Katayama	93	—	9,924,930	17.9%	—
Independents	—	81	—	11,244,120	20.3%	—
Other parties	—	38	—	6,488,032	11.7%	—
Japan Cooperative Party	Yamamoto Sanehiko	14	—	1,799,764	3.3%	—
Japanese Communist Party	—	5	—	2,135,757	3.9%	—

2 further seats went to parties and independents outside the main contenders listed above.