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General of the Army Douglas MacArthur to the War Department for the Joint Chiefs of Staff for General McCoy 56
Reurad War 94856 March 27th [26th].57 The Diet on 31st March passed amendments extending the provisions of article two of the additional provisions of the House of Councillors election law to the election of the House of Representatives. Forthcoming election of House of Representatives will be held under the same liberal provisions as the House of Councillors election law.
The franchise for the House of Representatives is now extended to all of voting age except incompetents or quasi-incompetents and those in prison or those who have received a sentence involving penal servitude or confinement and have not yet served their term.
English and Japanese copies of bill for amendment of the House of Representatives election law were airmailed to War Department on 14th March. Japanese copies of amendments to bill were airmailed 31st March. English translation of amendments as passed by the Diet will be airmailed on 3rd April.
Other substantial changes in House of Representatives election law include:
- A.
- Election districts increased in number from 53 to 117 with each district returning from 3 to 5 members to the lower house for a total membership of 466.
- B.
- Supervision of elections has been removed from the House [Home] Ministry and placed in the hands of democratically chosen election administration committees who will appoint election officials and supervise polling and counting.
- C.
- Filing deposits have been raised from 2,000 Yen to 5,000 Yen, and fines for violations have generally been increased about 10 times.
- D.
- Restricted plural voting has been replaced by the single ballot.
- E.
- Use of school children below the age of 20 in campaigns illegal.
All changes will be applied to the forthcoming general elections.