House of Representatives (Japan) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids House of Representatives 衆議院 Shūgiin
The 48th House of Representatives
Type
Type	Lower house
Leadership
Speaker	Tadamori Oshima, LDP Since April 21, 2015
Vice-Speaker	Hirotaka Akamatsu, CDP Since November 1, 2017
Prime Minister	Shinzō Abe, LDP Since December 26, 2012
Opposition leader	Yukio Edano, CDP Since October 23, 2017
Structure
Seats	465

Political groups	Government (314) LDP (285) Kōmeitō (29) Opposition (145) CDP & DPFP & Social Security & affiliated Independents (120) JCP (12) Ishin (11) Kibo (2) Independents (6)
Elections
Voting system	Parallel voting: First past the post (289 seats) Party-list proportional representation (176 seats)
Last election	October 22, 2017
Next election	On or before October 22, 2021
Meeting place

Chamber of the House of Representatives
Website
www.shugiin.go.jp

The House of Representatives (衆議院 (Shūgiin)) is like one of the two main groups that make up the National Diet of Japan. Think of the National Diet as Japan's parliament, where laws are made. The House of Representatives is often called the "lower house." The other group is the House of Councillors, which is the "upper house."

The House of Representatives has 465 members. These members are chosen by the people of Japan in elections. They serve for a term of four years.

What the House of Representatives Does
How Members Are Elected
- Voting Methods
List of Speakers
Images for kids
See also

What the House of Representatives Does

The House of Representatives has a very important role in how Japan is governed. It has more power than the House of Councillors in many areas.

Making Laws

One of the main jobs of the House of Representatives is to create and approve laws. When a new law is proposed, it usually starts in the House of Representatives. If both houses agree on a law, it becomes official. If they disagree, the House of Representatives can sometimes make the final decision.

Choosing the Prime Minister

The House of Representatives also plays a key part in choosing Japan's Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the head of the government. Usually, the leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Representatives becomes the Prime Minister.

Approving the Budget

Every year, the government needs a plan for how it will spend money. This plan is called the budget. The House of Representatives must approve the national budget. This means they decide how much money goes to things like schools, roads, and healthcare.

How Members Are Elected

Members of the House of Representatives are elected through a system that combines two ways of voting.

Voting Methods

Single-member districts: In this method, Japan is divided into many small areas. Voters in each area choose one person to represent them. The person who gets the most votes wins.
Proportional representation: In this method, voters choose a political party. Seats are given to parties based on the percentage of votes they receive. This helps smaller parties also have a voice in the government.

This mix of voting methods helps ensure that both local areas and different political ideas are represented in the House.

List of Speakers

The Speaker of the House of Representatives is like the leader of the group. They are in charge of meetings and make sure rules are followed.

Images for kids

Kuroda Kiyotaka was a samurai and prime minister in the late 1800s.
Itō Hirobumi was a samurai and prime minister who helped create Japan's first constitution.
Hara Takashi was one of the first prime ministers to come from the House of Representatives.
Shigeru Yoshida was prime minister after World War II and helped Japan rebuild.
Shinzo Abe was Japan's longest-serving prime minister.