Japanese political parties

Japan's political parties are, for the most part, very small and very short-lived. This is largely because the National Diet is filled by a combination of proportional representation and first past the post elections, making it easy for a small party to get a foothold in the assembly, but difficult for a small party to become dominant. The Liberal Democratic Party is the only real exception to Japan's trend toward small parties.

Parties represented in the Diet
The numbers represent how many members are currently in the House of Representatives and House of Councillors.

Liberal Democratic Party (244/116)
Democratic Party of Japan (115/60)
New Komeito (31/23)
Japan Communist Party (20/20)
Liberal Party (22/0)
Social Democratic Party of Japan (18/6)
New Conservative Party (10/0)
Frontier Party (2/0)
Greens (0/2)

Active parties not represented in the Diet

Japan Labor Party
Japan Revolutionary Communist League
Liberal League/Second Chamber Club
New Socialist Party
Tohokai (Nationalsozialistische Japanische Arbeiterpartei)
World Party Japan

Postwar parties

Dawn Club
Democratic Reform Union
Japan New Party
Komei
Komeito
Mirai
New Fraternity Party
New Frontier Party
New Liberal Club
New Party Sakigake
Reform Club
Shinpoto
Shinshinto
Social Democratic Union
Socialist Party
Tate no Kai
Taiyo Party

Prewar parties

Doshikai
Kaishinto
Kakushin Club
Kenseikai
Kenseito
Kyokoku Itchi
Minseito
Seiyukai
Social Masses Party