Multiple Choice Practice Question Administrative guidance in Japan has been  overseen by an elite bureaucracy recruited on the basis of merit.  characterized by government subsidization of research and development and targeting of tax breaks for specific industrial sectors  key in facilitating the economy’s ability to move through the product cycle, advancing from textiles, to automobiles, to semi-conductors.  characterized by an “iron triangle” of bureaucrats, politicians, and businessmen, contributing to major corruption scandals.  b, c, and d only.  all of the above.

Multiple Choice Answer: all of the above

Question for today When did Japan become a democracy?

4 Definition of democracy Political Rights  Opportunity to participate in choice of political leaders  Voting rights  Right to run for office Civil Liberties  Freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion  Trial by jury  Protection against cruel government action

Question for today When did Japan become a democracy?  Note the policy relevance of this question.

6 Political Development in Japan, pre-WW II Recall “Meiji Restoration,” 1868  Group of reformers overthrew Tokugawa regime  Acted in name of emperor Hence “restoration”

Political Development in Japan, pre-WW II Japan emulated advanced institutions in the West Established new ministries  Army and Navy 1873 universal male military conscription  Education Ministry Achieved universal primary education by 1907

Political Development in Japan, pre-WW II Japanese studied other systems, ideas 1880s translation, publishing  John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty  Rousseau’s Social Contract meiji5.html

Political Development in Japan, pre-WW II Japan establishes democratic institutions  Initial goals Strengthen legitimacy of government Mobilize people in support of national goals  Constitution 1889 Established Parliament (Diet)  House of Representatives  House of Peers Males paying 15 yen in taxes can vote  Tax qualifications gradually lowered

Political Development in Japan, pre-WW II Achieves universal male suffrage 1925

11 Political development in Japan pre- WWII Taisho Democracy ( ) Constitutional monarchy Parliamentary government with prime minister Prime minister alternated between two main political parties Universal male suffrage, 1925

12 Political development in Japan pre- WWII Constitutional flaws  Prime minister and cabinet NOT formally under parliamentary control Power derived from emperor—not parliament  Military NOT subject to parliamentary (civilian) control

Political Development in Japan Militarization and World War II  Facilitated by Constitutional flaws Economic crisis: Depression—break down of trade  Army general  prime minister  Imperial Rule Assistance Association Intended to be single, nationwide popular movement like  Nazi Party in Germany  Fascist Party in Italy

Post-WW II Japan Defeat in WW II US Occupation  Occupation reforms “Article 9” = renounce war Address constitutional flaws  Parliament  Civil liberties  Emperor—ceremonial role Japan’s pre-war model-- important  Polity: democracy, experience with political party competition General MacArthur with Emperor

Japan as an “Uncommon Democracy” Domination by a single political party in post-war, 20 th C, democratic Japan: LDP Why?

Sources of LDP Dominance  Electoral districts—rural bias  Strong record of economic growth under LDP until 1990s  Single non-transferable vote (SNTV) system (until 1994)  Patronage / machine politics  Koenkai (local support groups) Japan as an “Uncommon Democracy”

Pressure for reform of political institutions Crisis in LDP-dominated system (1993)  Corruption scandals  Slower economic growth  Foreign pressure to open markets

Pressure for reform of political institutions Coalition of small parties in House of Representatives pushed through reforms:  Reformed electoral system  Opened rice market to international imports  Redistricted to reduce rural bias

Political Development in Contemporary Japan What is current design of electoral institutions? Why?

Political Development in Contemporary Japan Electoral system reform (1994)  House of Representatives (480 seats)  “Mixed” system 300 seats elected through single member districts by first-past-the-post 180 seats elected through multi-member districts by proportional representation  gives small parties “voice without power”

Proportional Representation (D’Hondt) electoral rules: Example

Reform of political institutions Impact of new electoral system—NOT revolutionary  But by 1998, rise of a new party: Democratic Party of Japan 2003 DPJ “Manifesto”—party platform— tried to move toward more programmatic politics

Possible re-alignment in Japanese politics? Old-style political appeals  Local party machines (local support groups called koenkai)  LDP has dominated in this style of politics Possible new-style political appeals???  Ideologically oriented (e.g. left-right, liberal- conservative) party platforms  DPJ is trying to compete on a party platform (as with its 2003 “Manifesto”)

Rise of DPJ DPJ strong showing  In 2003 elections, DPJ made a strong showing, establishing themselves as a credible opposition to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and prompting talk of Japan becoming a two-party political system. DPJ self presentation  DPJ presented itself as the only party that could truly reform Japan's economy and administration. …the vested interests of the LDP members meant it would never be able to do so.  “Manifesto” vs. “koenkai”  2003 election results

Results of 2003 Election to Japan’s House of Representatives LDP: Liberal Democratic Party; DPJ: Democratic Party of Japan Komeito: Clean Government Party; JCP: Japan Communist Party SDP: Social Democratic Party; CP: Conservative Party

Results of 2005 Election to Japan’s House of Representatives LDP: Liberal Democratic Party; DPJ: Democratic Party of Japan Komeito: Clean Government Party; JCP: Japan Communist Party SDP: Social Democratic Party;

LDP Leaders  Prime Ministers Junichiro Koizumi   Economic reformer  Resigned according to LDP rules on term limits Shinzo Abe  Yasuo Fukuda  Taro Aso  September

Aso's woes Jan 16th 2009 Realignment on the cards??? “…if the opposition DPJ were to win the largest share of the vote in the general election …this could produce a two-party political system in which each of the major contenders would be relatively unified ideologically--and hence would offer voters a real choice of policies.”

Results of 2009 Election to Japan’s House of Representatives LDP: Liberal Democratic Party; DPJ: Democratic Party of Japan Komeito: Clean Government Party; JCP: Japan Communist Party SDP: Social Democratic Party; CP: Conservative Party

Prime Minister Naoto Kan at the House of Representatives, February 2011

Comparative theories relevant to Tunisia, Egypt, & beyond Egypt Jan. 25 Tunisia Jan. 12

Comparative theories relevant to Egypt, & beyond