# 2023 Ōita at-large district by-election

2023 Ōita at-large district by-election was held on 23 April 2023 because Kiyoshi Adachi resigned as a member of the House of Councillors.

## Background

In 2019 election, Kiyoshi Adachi, an independent recommended by four opposition parties, including the Former CDP, defeated Yōsuke Isozaki, a current member of the House of Councillors belonging to the Liberal Democratic Party, and was elected for the first time in Ōita at-large district. Meanwhile, in the 2022 election, Shinya Adachi, a member of the opposition Democratic Party For the People and a current member of the Oita at-large district, lost to the ruling LDP candidate because of the division of the opposition camp.
Adachi announced his candidacy for Ōita Prefecture gubernatorial election and resigned as a member of the House of Councillors on March 10, 2023. With Adachi's resignation, by-elections will be held on April 28, 2023, under the Election Law.
The LDP has nominated Aki Shirasaka, the owner of Inaba, a club in Ginza, as its candidate. On the other hand, main opposition party, the CDP, nominated Tadatomo Yoshida, a former leader of the Social Democratic Party who left the SDP and joined the CDP in 2020, as a candidate.
After the assassination of Shuzo Abe, the LDP's collusion with the Unification Church was discovered, and the match drew national attention as it was a one-on-one battle between the ruling and opposition parties amid falling approval ratings of the Kishida administration.

## Candidates

| Name | Age | Party | Party | Past positions |
| Aki Shirasaka | 56 | | Liberal Democratic | Owner of the Inaba, a club in Ginza |
| Tadatomo Yoshida | 67 | | Constitutional Democratic | Leader of the Social Democratic Party (2013-2018) Member of the House of Councillors (2010-2016) (2019-March 2023) |

## Results

Shirasaka was elected for the first time by beating Yoshida by only 341 votes.
2023 Ōita at-large district by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | LDP | Aki Shirasaka | 196,122 | 50.04% | +3.98 |
| | CDP | Tadatomo Yoshida | 195,781 | 49.96% | New |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 391,903 | 100.00% | |
| | LDP gain from Independent | LDP gain from Independent | LDP gain from Independent | LDP gain from Independent | LDP gain from Independent |

### Results by Municipalities

| | Aki Shirasaka | Aki Shirasaka | Tadatomo Yoshida | Tadatomo Yoshida |
| | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| Ōita city | 59,082 | 45.56% | 70,602 | 54.44% |
| Beppu | 25,693 | 53.61% | 22,235 | 46.39% |
| Nakatsu | 18,756 | 53.65% | 16,207 | 46.35% |
| Hita | 15,560 | 53.25% | 13,662 | 46.75% |
| Saiki | 12,273 | 55.66% | 9,778 | 44.34% |
| Usuki | 5,798 | 42.79% | 7,753 | 57.21% |
| Tsukumi | 4,065 | 51.68% | 3,801 | 48.32% |
| Taketa | 5,488 | 64.24% | 3,055 | 35.76% |
| Bungotakada | 4,067 | 51.77% | 3,789 | 48.23% |
| Kitsuki | 4,669 | 48.54% | 4,949 | 51.46% |
| Usa | 13,218 | 51.68% | 12,357 | 48.32% |
| Bungo-Ōno | 6,279 | 50.29% | 6,207 | 49.71% |
| Yufu | 5,187 | 47.11% | 5,823 | 52.89% |
| Kunisaki | 4,876 | 49.45% | 4,985 | 50.55% |
| Himeshima | 1,051 | 79.26% | 275 | 20.74% |
| Hiji | 4,547 | 47.30% | 5,066 | 52.70% |
| Kokonoe | 1,555 | 50.13% | 1,547 | 49.87% |
| Kusu | 3,958 | 51.75% | 3,690 | 48.25% |
| Total | 196,122 | 50.04% | 195,781 | 49.96% |