Publication

This paper utilizes the case study of Japan to demonstrate that the equalization of legislative representation reduces policy biases. Using cross-municipal data, the authors present evidence that municipalities in over-represented districts historically received significantly more subsidies from the central government, as compared to those in under-represented districts. The authors also examine the relationship between the change in the number of seats per capita and the change in the amount of central-to-municipal subsides per capita, arguing that the equalization in voting strength due to electoral reform resulted in the equalization of government transfers per person.