Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/118

The original Election Law was promulgated on the 11th of February of the 22nd year of Meiji (1889), eleven days after the promulgation of the Constitution. Since then Japan has developed so much, and circumstances have changed to such an extent, that a revision of this original law was found necessary. There is no need to dwell here upon the importance of a law which determines so vital a national task as the election of the members of the Lower House, the representatives of the people. Any change in this law amounts, therefore, almost to a change of the Constitution itself. In European countries there are many instances where the regulations and general provisions relating to these elections are set forth in the Constitution. In our country, however, these provisions are to be found in the form of an ordinary law. This is because it was considered wise to allow for the changing of the Election Law according as the development of the conditions of national life may demand it, while the Constitution should be based upon a much more stable and sound foundation, showing, as it does, the fundamental law of the State for all time, in which alteration can only be made with difficulty.

There are two kinds of electoral districts possible, the large and the small. In the former the size is determined according to the principle that two or more members shall be elected to each district, while in the latter only one member can be elected for the district. In the ealier Election Law the principle of small electoral districts was adopted. Six general elections showed so many defects resulting from that principle that in the revised law large electoral districts have been constituted. This latter system presents more chances of bad results in the scrutin des listes than in a system of small electoral districts.