The Tokyo Assembly election was officially announced on july 18th, the same day House of Representatives was dissolved. During its campaign period, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) split into three parties; two new parties and the existing LDP. And the Tokyo Assembly election resulted in the landslide victory of the Japan New Party, one of the new-born parties, and the complete defeat of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) at the lowest turnout in the history.
The victory of Japan New Party in Tokyo Assembly election created a bandwagon effect among the public and the press as they rushed to support the Japan New party, and this changed the political balance in Japan. In the following election for the House of Representatives, the LDP could not win a majority, and went into opposition after 38 years in power, and the Hosokawa Administration, the eight-party coalition government took over.
This paper focuses on the results and implications of the Tokyo Assembly election, especially on its record-low turnout, the landslide victory of the Japan New Party, and the coverage of newspaper on the Japan New Party.
