1993 Japanese general election

General elections were held in Japan on 18 July 1993 to elect the 511 members of the House of Representatives. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which had been in power since 1955, lost their majority in the House. An eight-party coalition government was formed and headed by Morihiro Hosokawa, the leader of the Japan New Party (JNP).

It was the first time under the 1955 System that the leading coalition lost. Eleven months after the election, with the electoral reform legislation passed, the eight-party coalition collapsed.

## Infobox (election)

- **country**: Japan
- **flag year**: 1870
- **type**: legislative
- **previous election**: 1990 Japanese general election
- **previous year**: 1990
- **next election**: 1996 Japanese general election
- **next year**: 1996
- **seats for election**: All 511 seats in the House of Representatives of Japan, House of Representatives
- **majority seats**: 256
- **turnout**: 66.99% (6.32pp)
- **election date**: 18 July 1993
- **image size**: 130x130px
- **leader1**: Kiichi Miyazawa
- **party1**: Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
- **last election1**: 46.14%, 275 seats
- **seats1**: **223**
- **seat change1**: 52
- **popular vote1**: **22,999,646**
- **percentage1**: **36.62%**
- **swing1**: 9.49pp
- **leader2**: Sadao Yamahana
- **party2**: Japan Socialist Party
- **last election2**: 24.35%, 136 seats
- **seats2**: 70
- **seat change2**: 66
- **popular vote2**: 9,687,588
- **percentage2**: 15.43%
- **swing2**: 8.96pp
- **leader3**: Tsutomu Hata
- **party3**: Japan Renewal Party
- **last election3**: _Did not exist_
- **seats3**: 55
- **seat change3**: _New_
- **popular vote3**: 6,341,364
- **percentage3**: 10.10%
- **swing3**: _New_
- **leader4**: Kōshirō Ishida
- **party4**: Kōmeitō (1962–1998)
- **last election4**: 7.98%, 45 seats
- **seats4**: 51
- **seat change4**: 6
- **popular vote4**: 5,114,351
- **percentage4**: 8.14%
- **swing4**: 0.16pp
- **leader5**: Morihiro Hosokawa
- **party5**: Japan New Party
- **last election5**: _Did not exist_
- **seats5**: 35
- **seat change5**: _New_
- **popular vote5**: 5,053,981
- **percentage5**: 8.05%
- **swing5**: _New_
- **leader6**: Tetsuzo Fuwa
- **party6**: Japanese Communist Party
- **last election6**: 7.96%, 16 seats,
- **seats6**: 15
- **seat change6**: 1
- **popular vote6**: 4,834,587
- **percentage6**: 7.70%
- **swing6**: 0.26pp
- **leader7**: Keigo Ōuchi
- **party7**: Democratic Socialist Party (Japan)
- **last election7**: 14 seats, 4.84%
- **seats7**: 15
- **seat change7**: 1
- **popular vote7**: 2,205,682
- **percentage7**: 3.51%
- **swing7**: 1.33pp
- **leader8**: Masayoshi Takemura
- **party8**: New Party Sakigake
- **last election8**: _Did not exist_
- **seats8**: 13
- **seat change8**: _New_
- **popular vote8**: 1,658,097
- **percentage8**: 2.64%
- **swing8**: _New_
- **leader9**: Satsuki Eda
- **party9**: Socialist Democratic Federation (Japan)
- **last election9**: 4 seats, 0.86%
- **seats9**: 4
- **popular vote9**: 461,169
- **percentage9**: 0.73%
- **swing9**: 0.13pp
- **title**: Prime Minister of Japan, Prime Minister
- **before election**: Kiichi Miyazawa
- **before party**: Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
- **after election**: Morihiro Hosokawa
- **after party**: Japan New Party