Photo/Illutration Yuki Baba, a candidate from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, greets supporters in Kooriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, on Nov. 1, the day after he became the youngest member of the Lower House. (Keitaro Fukuchi)

Female representation in the Lower House dipped slightly after the Oct. 31 election, with women accounting for less than 10 percent of politicians who won seats in the 465-member Diet chamber.

The average age of all lawmakers in the Lower House is 55.5, compared with 59.0 before the election.

The findings, based on a study by The Asahi Shimbun, show that middle-aged and older men continue to disproportionately represent the public.

In a bid for diversity, the government has set a target of having women account for 35 percent of candidates running in Lower and Upper house elections by 2025.

But in the latest election, women accounted for only 17.7 percent of all candidates.

The Asahi study covered the 1,051 candidates and the 465 who won seats.

Only 45, or 9.7 percent, of the 465 elected legislators are women. According to the Cabinet Office, there were 47 female lawmakers in the chamber before it was dissolved in late September.

Of the female winners, 7.7 percent were backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, 13.5 percent by the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, 9.8 percent by Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party), 12.5 percent by junior coalition partner Komeito, 9.1 percent by the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), and 20 percent by the Japanese Communist Party.

The Lower House apparently got “younger” because some advanced-age politicians opted out of running again.

The average age of Lower House member was 56.9 for the LDP, 54.7 for the CDP and 49.4 for Nippon Ishin.

Forty-two lawmakers, or 9.0 percent of the total, are in their 70s and 80s, while 23, or 4.9 percent, are in their 20s and 30s.

Yuki Baba, 29, of the CDP is now the youngest Lower House lawmaker and the only member under 30. He lost in a Fukushima Prefecture electoral district but won a seat through the proportional representation segment of the election.

“The Diet needs diverse members,” he said. “I want to create a culture in the Diet where lawmakers are keen to hear what young people have to say.”

Toshihiro Nikai, the 82-year-old former LDP secretary-general, is the oldest Lower House member.

Male legislators in their 50s made up the largest group, at 145, followed by 109 men in their 40s, and 105 in their 60s. Together, these male lawmakers make up 77.2 percent of the chamber.

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Maiko Takahashi, a candidate from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, apologizes on Nov. 1 in Oita for her defeat in the previous day’s election. (Ayano Nakazawa)

The study also showed the enormous odds faced by new entrants, particularly women.

Male incumbents had a more than 80-percent chance of being elected while the figure was 20.8 percent for male rookies, according to the study.

The chance for victory for female newcomers was much lower, at 7.6 percent.

Overall, 48.6 percent of male candidates had a chance to gain a seat, but the ratio for women was half that, at 24.2 percent.

Maiko Takahashi, a 33-year-old rookie from the LDP, ran unsuccessfully in an electoral district in Oita Prefecture.

Takahashi, a former news agency reporter and mother of a 3-year-old boy, said she wanted to become a politician to represent the “small voices of citizens,” but she almost gave up her attempt because she could not find a nursery school for her son.

“I want to pursue a way to contribute to Oita Prefecture and the country,” she told reporters on the night of Oct. 31 after her loss became certain.

Candidates with disabilities also had a tough time in their campaigns.

Kenichi Kato, a 40-year-old newcomer who was backed by the DPP and uses a wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy, failed in his election bid in Yamagata Prefecture.

“I am put at a disadvantage compared with my healthy rivals because I have to limit my activities,” he said. “I wish there were a setup to make it easier for disabled people to enter politics.”

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