Komeito to Reduce Candidates in Single-Seat Constituencies; Shifting Focus to Proportional Representation Segment

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, October 26, 2025

Komeito has begun coordination to reduce the number of candidates it will field in single-seat constituencies in the next House of Representatives election, with the intention of shifting its focus to the proportional representation segment, according to sources close to the matter.

Komeito recently left its coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, bringing an end to the two parties’ election cooperation. This is expected to make it more difficult for Komeito candidates to win seats in single-seat constituencies.

The idea of focusing on the proportional representation came from the party’s supporting body, Soka Gakkai, according to the sources.

In the autumn 2024 lower house election, Komeito fielded candidates in 11 single-seat constituencies that were not contested by the LDP. Four of these were elected, including party leader Tetsuo Saito in Hiroshima Constituency No. 3.

The party is expected to decide where to field candidates by examining various single-seat constituencies one by one, including four constituencies in Tokyo, Hyogo and Hiroshima prefectures, where the party has incumbent members, as well as four constituencies in Osaka Prefecture, where all of its candidates were defeated in the last lower house election.