[2] Before the electoral reform of 1994, the area formed part of Kyoto 1st district where five representatives had been elected by single non-transferable vote (SNTV).

In the 2nd district JCP newcomer Satoshi Inoue lost narrowly to Liberal Democrat Mikio Okuda, who had previously represented the old multi-member 1st district.

Democrat Seiji Maehara ranked third, but won a seat via the Kinki PR block.

After the main opposition New Frontier Party had dissolved and its successor groups had mainly been absorbed by the Democratic Party, Maehara won Kyoto 2 in the 2000 general election and has held onto the seat since.

Maehara went on to become Democratic Party president in 2005, but resigned following the Livedoor scandal in 2006 and later was a minister of state in the Democratic-led Hatoyama and Kan cabinets.