All Japan elections

1947 Japanese General Election

The socialist interlude

25 April 1947 · Occupation and the road to 1955 · 468 seats, 235 for a majority

General elections were held in Japan on 25 April 1947. The Japan Socialist Party won 143 of the 468 seats, making it the largest party in the House of Representatives following the election.

Prime Minister before

Shigeru Yoshida

Liberal

Prime Minister after

Tetsu Katayama

Socialist

Largest force

Japan Socialist Party

143 of 468 seats

Turnout

68.0%

The result

Share of the House
Japan Socialist PartyTetsu Katayama143+50
7,176,88226.2%+8.3
Liberal PartyShigeru Yoshida131-10
7,312,52426.7%+2.4
Democratic PartyHitoshi Ashida124
6,960,27025.4%
National Cooperative PartyTakeo Miki31
1,915,9487.0%
Other parties17
1,174,6624.3%
Independents12-69
1,603,6845.9%
Japanese Communist PartyKyuichi Tokuda4-1
1,002,8833.7%-0.2
Japan Farmers PartyShiro Nakano4
214,7540.8%

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