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

Sort by

Japan Socialist Party

Tetsu Katayama · 26.2% of votes · +50 seats

143

seats

Liberal Party

Shigeru Yoshida · 26.7% of votes · -10 seats

131

seats

Democratic Party

Hitoshi Ashida · 25.4% of votes

124

seats

National Cooperative Party

Takeo Miki · 7.0% of votes

seats

Other parties

4.3% of votes

seats

Independents

5.9% of votes · -69 seats

seats

Japanese Communist Party

Kyuichi Tokuda · 3.7% of votes · -1 seats

seats

Japan Farmers Party

Shiro Nakano · 0.8% of votes

seats


Japan Socialist Party	Tetsu Katayama	143	+50	7,176,882	26.2%	+8.3
Liberal Party	Shigeru Yoshida	131	-10	7,312,524	26.7%	+2.4
Democratic Party	Hitoshi Ashida	124	—	6,960,270	25.4%	—
National Cooperative Party	Takeo Miki	31	—	1,915,948	7.0%	—
Other parties	—	17	—	1,174,662	4.3%	—
Independents	—	12	-69	1,603,684	5.9%	—
Japanese Communist Party	Kyuichi Tokuda	4	-1	1,002,883	3.7%	-0.2
Japan Farmers Party	Shiro Nakano	4	—	214,754	0.8%	—

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