
選挙無効は退ける、合区導入後初めての違憲状態判断
昨年7月の参院選における最大3.13倍の「1票の格差」をめぐり、最高裁大法廷は11日、「著しい不平等状態にあった」として違憲状態と判断した。選挙無効の請求は退けた。合区導入後の参院選で違憲状態とされるのは初。
AI-generated summary
参院選の「1票の格差」をめぐり、最高裁が違憲状態としたのは最大格差が4.77倍だった2013年選挙以来で、合区導入後初。
「1票の格差」が最大3.13倍だった昨年7月の参院選は違憲だとして、二つの弁護士グループが選挙無効を求めた16件の訴訟の上告審判決で、最高裁大法廷(裁判長・今崎幸彦長官)は11日、「格差は違憲の問題が生じる程度の著しい不平等状態にあった」として、違憲状態と判断した。無効請求は退けた。
裁判官15人中10人の多数意見。他5人は合憲とした。最高裁が参院選を違憲状態としたのは、最大格差が4.77倍だった2013年選挙以来で、選挙区を統合する「合区」の導入後初めて。格差が3倍台だった過去3回は合憲判断が続いていた。
昨年の参院選は、「鳥取・島根」「徳島・高知」の2合区が維持され、最大格差が3.03倍だった前回22年と同じ枠組みで実施された。格差是正に向けた国会の取り組みをどう評価するかが主な焦点だった。

The Supreme Court's Grand Bench ruled on the 11th that the maximum vote disparity of 3.13 times in the July 2025 House of Councilors election was "unconstitutional." The appeal to invalidate the election was rejected. The Diet will be forced to take measures to correct disparities.

In response to the spate of illegal suitcase dumping around Ikebukuro Station, Tokyo's Toshima Ward has amended its ordinance to prohibit smoking and littering on the streets, and has announced plans to impose fines on those who dump suitcases. Approximately 290 cases of neglect have been confirmed in fiscal 2025, and the aim is to implement the law in April next year.

The Ministry of Justice announced the 2026 bar exam results on the 11th. Of the 1,595 successful applicants, the percentage of women was 31.8%, the highest since the current system began. The pass rate was 41.2%, the same level as last year.

The United Kingdom, France, Australia, Canada, South Korea, and other countries are broadcasting Supreme Court and Constitutional Court hearings live on the Internet. The purpose of the principle of public openness of trials stipulated in Article 82 of the Japanese Constitution is to check the judiciary by the sovereign, and if the Supreme Court's arguments are made available online, they can also serve as material for public scrutiny. We spoke to Tetsuro Hirano (57), a former judge and professor at Ritsumeikan University Law School.

It has been revealed that the Fukuoka Prefectural Police visually checked the "suspect notebooks" of arrested and detained suspects during property inspections. Notes submitted by defense attorneys are said to be protected by the right of confidential communication, but prefectural police checked for several seconds to make sure there were no dangerous objects or instructions to destroy evidence. The company said it has reviewed its operations and taken into consideration human rights and security needs.

On the 10th, the Fukuoka District Court dismissed the plaintiff's claim in a lawsuit filed against six expressway companies and the government by a man who had his application for an ETC personal card rejected because he was affiliated with an organized crime group. The plaintiffs argued that the expressway is a public property, and that not being able to use it just because they are affiliated with an organized crime group constitutes unreasonable discrimination.