Dyadic Representation in the Japanese Parliament: Adaptation by Candidates and Selection by Constituencies

Abstract

This paper examines basic but very important questions in the democratic process: do individual candidates represent the will of their own district constituency, even in a parliamentary system with well-disciplined legislative parties? The answer is clearly yes: this paper demonstrates dyadic representation, or the link between the policy preference of the constituencies and their representatives in the Japanese Lower House. I also demonstrate that constituencies provide more votes to candidates who better represent their preferences, which would strengthen the link by electing those better fulfilling the responsibility.