Support election - Yokusansenkyo

The common name for the 21st general election for the House of Representatives, held by the Tojo Hideki cabinet on April 30, 1942 (Showa 17). The Tojo cabinet decided to introduce a candidate recommendation system for the first time in a general election, and on February 23, 1942, they formed the Council of Imperial Rule Assistance Political Systems (abbreviated as Yokukyo, chaired by Abe Nobuyuki). The council formed prefectural branches made up of local influential people to select candidates, but the actual selection was based on a list of "eligible candidates" secretly compiled by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the police, and the military. While the Yokukyo distributed election funds to recommended candidates, there was heavy election interference for non-recommended candidates, and the election campaign was lackluster. However, voter turnout reached 83.1% due to the hunt for votes through neighborhood associations and other means. Of the 466 recommended candidates, 381 were elected (82% success rate), while of the 613 non-recommended candidates, 85 were elected (14% success rate), with the non-recommended candidates receiving 4.19 million votes (35% success rate). The Yokukyo was dissolved on May 5th, and the Yokusan Seijikai was formed on May 20th, establishing the so-called Yokusan political system.

[Junichiro Kizaka]

"Yoshimi Yoshiaki and Yokozeki Itaru (eds.), Materials on Modern Japanese History 4 and 5: The Imperial Rule Election [1] [2] (1981, Otsuki Shoten)" ▽ "Showa History 7: The Pacific War, by Kizaka Junichiro (1982, Shogakukan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1942年（昭和17）4月30日、東条英機(ひでき)内閣によって実施された第21回衆議院議員総選挙の通称。東条内閣は総選挙に初めて候補者推薦制度を導入することを決定し、42年2月23日翼賛政治体制協議会（略称翼協、会長阿部信行(あべのぶゆき)）を結成させた。同会は地元有力者による道府県支部を結成して候補者選考にあたったが、実際の選考は、内務省、警察および軍部がひそかにつくった「立候補適格者」名簿に基づいて行われた。推薦候補者には翼協から選挙資金が分配された反面、非推薦候補者には激しい選挙干渉が加えられ、選挙戦は低調であったが、隣組などを通じての投票狩り出しのため、投票率は83.1％に達した。当選者は推薦候補者466名中381名（当選率82％）、非推薦候補者613名中85名（同14％）、非推薦候補者の得票は419万票（得票率35％）であった。翼協は5月5日に解散し、5月20日翼賛政治会が結成され、いわゆる翼賛政治体制が確立した。

［木坂順一郎］

『吉見義明・横関至編『資料日本現代史4・5　翼賛選挙〔1〕〔2〕』（1981・大月書店）』▽『木坂順一郎著『昭和の歴史7　太平洋戦争』（1982・小学館）』

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