Michael Gallagher, "The Political Impact of Electoral System Change in Japan and New Zealand: 1996," Party Politics, 4 (April 1998), 203-228.

First Paragraph:
The impact of the new electoral systems in Japan and New Zealand can be examined from a number of perspectives. Change in Japan came at a time of upheaval in the parry system and it was hoped that it might lead to certain changes in political style. New Zealand also held its first election under the new rules in October 1996, after several decades with its previous system, and since there are certain similarities between the new systems in Japan and New Zealand - though there is also a significant difference - we shall draw a number of comparisons between the two.

Figures and Tables:
Table 1: Japan election results, October 1996
Table 2: New Zealand election results, October 1996
Table 3: Seven (quasi-)electoral systems in Japan and New Zealand
Table 4: Votes (%) and seats in PR constituencies in Japan, October 1996
Table 5: Disporportionality in Japanese and New Zealand Elections, 1993 and 1996
Table 6: Effective Number of parties in Japan and New Zealand elections, 1993 and 1996
Table 7: Women elected to parliament in Japan and New Zealand, 1993 and 1996
Table 8: Dual candidacies of members of parliament in Japan and New Zealand, October 1996

Last Paragraph:
The changes to electoral rules in Japan and New Zealand have had significant consequences. Power within the parties, manifesting itself especially in candidate selection, has been affected, and campaigning styles may alter in future elections. The impact upon the relationship between votes and seats was very much in line with what existing research would have been predicted, though it is not clear whether this impact was fully foreseen in Japan in particular, where the electoral system adopted in 1996 was likely to be, and indeed was, less proportional than the previous SNTV system, with the LDP predictably reaping the benefit. In New Zealand the new electoral system, assuming it is retained, will definitely move the country away from the classic Westminster-type model of politics and government, and coalition government is likely to become the norm. In Japan, the consequences are less clear and there is the possibility that LDP hegemony will continue.