Political Structure In Japan

Historical Origins of the Modern Japanese State Isolation Commodore Perry: open ports to trade Meiji Restoration (1868) Oligarchs Constitution, Diet, political parties Taisho Democracy (1918-1932) Cabinets dominated by parties Growth of military, ultranationalism This is a Meiji Shrine

Allied Occupation of Japan Administered by SCAP Demilitarize and democratize Japan New constitution: Peace Clause, Article 9 Land reform 1951 peace treaty with all allied powers except Soviet Union U.S.-Japan Mutual Security Treaty

The Peace Constitution: Article 9 Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. To accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.

The Revival of Right-wing Conservatism Causes Japan as a Normal State Military Spending Japan and Its East Asian Neighbors Japan and the United States: the Mutual Security Treaty and the Issue of Military Base

Monarchy and the Royal Family Emperor Meiji (1868-1912), Taisho (1912-26), Showa (1926-89), and Heisei Era (1989-) Relevance and Symbolic Role: Emperor Akihito Divisive Symbols: Hinomaru (the rising sun) and the national anthem Kimigayo (Your Majesty’s Reign) Succession: Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako

Emperor Meiji

General MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito

Emperor Akihito

Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako

The 55 System The LDP and Its Hegemonic Rule (1955-93, and in coalition 1994-2009) The Iron Triangle: Japan, Inc. Politicians, Big Business, Bureaucrats Amakudari (descent from heaven) Performance-based Legitimacy: e.g.: Hayato Ikeda’s Income Doubling Plan Factionalism and Corruption

Political Institutions Parliamentary, bicameral, nonfederal National Diet: House of Representatives & House of Councillors Local government 47 Prefectures, elect own governor, legislature Judiciary Judicial independence, guaranteed in Constitution Cabinet directly appoints 15 members of Supreme Court

List of Prime Ministers from 2000 - 2015

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Electoral Systems and Electoral Competition Chambers of National Diet use different rules Old rules –House of Representatives Return to Single Non-Transferable Vote (SNTV) system LDP allowed candidates to create decentralized campaign organizations Barriers to challengers Lowered electoral salience of issues Restrictive rules for campaigning

Electoral Systems and Electoral Competition New rules- House of Representatives Size of House of Representatives set at 500, reduced to 480 4 year terms 300 elected on basis of equal-sized single-member districts 180 elected from 11 regional districts by proportional representation Each voter casts two votes: one for candidate in SMD and one for party in PR district

Electoral Systems and Electoral Competition Electoral Rules – House of Councillors Fixed six year terms Half elected every three years Each voter has two votes: One cast in prefectural SNTV district for candidate Second cast for party in national district (with each party receiving a share of the 50 PR seats that matches the share of the vote it receives) Not much intraparty competition Focus on parties, not individuals More issue-based campaigning

The Japanese Party System Three Stages: 1946-1955: brief and chaotic 1955-1993: Liberal Democratic Party vs. Japan Socialist Party Since 1993: LDP with Japan Socialist Party as coalition New party system elements of single member district systems plus proportional systems Copyright © 2012, 2010, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Japanese Party System Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ): centrism Liberal Democratic Party (LDP): right, pro-west, pro-capitalism Clean Government Party (Komeito): socialist, anti-communist Social Democratic Party, Japan Socialist Party (JSP): liberal, union support Communist Party: far left Election 2005: LDP and Komeito Election 2009: DPJ

2012 Election:

The Bureaucracy Very competent bureaucracy Heavily involved in policy-making process but not dominant given parliamentary system Devotion to public service Potential for early retirement and second career The Diet: Rubber Stamp or Sovereign? Not necessarily weak and ineffective LDP intraparty conflict resolved No need for conflict within Diet