(Tokyo Shimbun: February 23, 2016 – p. 6)

 Kyodo News conducted a nationwide telephone survey on Feb. 20–21. Regarding an expert panel’s proposal that the number of seats in the House of Representatives be cut by 10 [to 465], more than half (50.6%) indicated that “the number of seats should be reduced starting from the next Lower House election.” Moreover, 35.5% responded that “the number should be reduced, but it does not have to be from the next Lower House election,” and 8.1% said that “there is no need to reduce the number of seats.” By age group, 62.8% of older persons (60 or over), 49.8% of middle-aged people (40s–50s), and 36.3% of young people (20s–30s) said they wanted to see the number of seats reduced starting from the next Lower House election. The older the age group, the greater the call for the number of seats to be reduced quickly. (Abridged)