1. Political Structure In Japan

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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. Monarchy and the Royal Family
Emperor Meiji ( ), Taisho ( ), Showa ( ), 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

7. Emperor Meiji

8. General MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito

9. Emperor Akihito

10. Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako

11. The 55 System
The LDP and Its Hegemonic Rule ( , and in coalition )
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

12. 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

15. List of Prime Ministers from 2000 - 2015

16. Copyright © 2012, 2010, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc
Copyright © 2012, 2010, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. The Japanese Party System
Three Stages:
: brief and chaotic
: 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.

22. 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

24. 2012 Election:

25. 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