The results of the national referendum concerning two Supreme Court judges in Japan were released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the 9th after the voting took place on the 8th. Despite over 5546 million individuals casting their votes and a turnout of 53.74%, neither of the judges, Junichi Takasu and Maki Okino, were dismissed from their positions. In the national referendum, a 'no' vote represented by an 'X' mark must exceed half of the valid votes for removal to occur. Any ballots left blank are considered as a vote of confidence for the judges in question.

For Judge Junichi Takasu, who has been in his role since March 2022, 14.15% of voters marked 'X', while for Judge Maki Okino, who took office in July 2022, the figure stood at 13.73%. Historically, the highest percentage of 'X' marks recorded was 15.17% in 1972, and notably, no judge has ever been removed through this process since its inception in 1949. This consistently low dismissal rate reflects the public's cautious approach towards the removal of judicial members and indicates the confidence that many citizens have in the Supreme Court's integrity.

The implications of these results are significant for the Japanese legal system, suggesting that while there is some degree of dissent against the judges, it is not enough to warrant their removal. The electorate's response points toward a desire for stability within the judiciary, allowing judges to continue their roles without the threat of dismissal based on relatively low opposition votes. It raises important questions about judicial accountability and the mechanisms in place for the public to express their dissatisfaction with judicial conduct while maintaining a balance that precludes frequent removals based solely on partisan feelings or temporary sentiments.