Translation guide
A direct vote by the people on an important public question. In Japanese, this is most commonly expressed with 国民投票 (kokumin tōhyō), but the term is less frequent in everyday conversation than in political or legal contexts.
A vote in which the entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal, often concerning sovereignty or constitutional changes.
国民投票 is for national-level votes, while 住民投票 is for local or regional votes. In English, 'plebiscite' can refer to both, but Japanese distinguishes them clearly.
In everyday conversation, Japanese speakers rarely use these terms. They are mostly found in news, legal documents, or political discussions. If you are talking casually, you might simply say 投票 (tōhyō) or explain the situation.
The standard term for a national referendum or plebiscite, used in legal and political contexts.
A national referendum is required to amend the constitution.
Used for a local plebiscite or referendum, where residents of a specific area vote on a local issue.
A local plebiscite was held on the merger of the cities.
A loanword from English, sometimes used in academic or international contexts, but less common than 国民投票.
The referendum on the UK's withdrawal from the EU attracted a lot of attention.