Governors of prefectures, mayors of municipalities, and prefectural and municipal assembly members are popularly elected for four-year terms. Lower house members serve for four years, or until the prime minister dissolves the Diet, whichever comes first. Upper house members serve for six years. The lower house is the more powerful of the two parliamentary houses. If the upper and lower houses differ on the choice of prime minister, the lower house takes precedence, and budgets and treaties can be passed only with action by the lower house.
Japan is a multiparty democracy that has experienced remarkable stability in the postwar period.
However, the LDP was returned to power in June 1994 in an unprecedented coalition with the JSP and a small party, the Sakigake.