Japanese Contemporary Politics

Description

In the postwar period, Japanese politics has evolved considerably, with issues of gender, representation, and household economics becoming increasingly salient. Meanwhile, since the end of the Cold War, Japan has joined other developed states in the process of decentralization and deindustrialization. Yet, its restructuring has come at a slower pace, as the Japanese bureaucracy attempts to retain a more traditional approach. This book, a translated and updated version of the author's 2010 monograph Nihon seijiron, traces these developments in Japanese politics from the end of the Asia Pacific wars to the present day. Examining each of the key stages of transition, it looks at four aspects of Japanese politics: high politics, interest-centered politics, life-centered politics, and globalization. It also provides up-to-date analysis of contemporary themes, including the Abe administration’s challenge to international politics and coverage of nuclear issues. Written by an experienced Japanese scholar, this book ultimately demonstrates how globalization has transformed the nature of local politics, as well as national security. However, as seen in the recent triple disaster of 2011 (a chapter on which has been added), Japanese politics retains traditional practices that have led to corruption, scandal, and political mistrust among the electorate. Offering a comprehensive introduction to Japanese politics, this book will be invaluable reading for students and scholars of Japanese politics and comparative and Asia politics in general. Cover Half Title Book Title Copyright Table of Contents List of figures List of tables List of contributors Foreword by Tetsuo Najita Translators’ acknowledgments List of acronyms Introduction: underlying causes of political transformations in Japan Two challenges to Japanese politics The impact of globalization on Japan’s bureaucratic politics The decline of party politics Regional politics and gender as frontiers of Japanese politics Security as an international and national issue Note Reference 1 The path of contemporary Japanese politics: four stages of development From defeat in war to reconstruction: the era of high politics The politics of high-speed economic growth and the end of interest-centered politics The advent of the deindustrialized society: the era of life-centered politics Transnational politics: the era of globalization politics References Further reading 2 The dominance of the bureaucracy Japan’s bureaucratic system and its “catch-up” mentality The developmental state Arguing against Japanese exceptionalism Japanese modernization and the bureaucratic system The Meiji state’s exoteric and esoteric teachings “Descending from heaven” (amakudari): linking the public with the private The actual state of the bureaucratic governance system Administrative guidance as a control mechanism Administration reform and deregulation Administrative reform: central bureaucracy reorganization and power decentralization Deregulation’s social impacts References Further reading 3 The effectiveness of parliamentary politics The development of parliamentary politics Toward the 1960 Japan–U.S. Security Treaty (ANPO) Interest politics: political stability in the long years of the Ikeda administration The era of Tanaka Kakuei politics The decline of the LDP and the advent of political power exchange with the DPJ: the slow path to rivalry politics Globalization politics Post-Cold War political dialogue Parliamentary committees and their transformation Confrontation and cooperation Fundamental legislation and the establishment of agreement: basic laws Political transformation from one-party rule to alliance administration Diet activity: “high politics, low bureaucracy” The influence of Tanaka Kakuei Political corruption and the collapse of long-term LDP rule Factions and appropriation: the hotbed of political corruption The era of coalition administrations Reshuffling political party affiliations The transformation of party politics A shift in political administration Note References Further reading 4 Changing attitudes: public opinion and politics Contemporary Japanese political consciousness and public opinion Changes in contemporary Japanese political consciousness and public opinion A decreasing consciousness over citizen rights The stagnating interest in political activity Contemporary Japanese nationalism and globalization Public opinion and the mass media Japan’s press club Transforming support for political parties and the cabinet A distancing from the LDP and the birth of “unaffiliated politics” The effect of public opinion trends and administrations Notes References Further reading 5 Selecting people of influence What election outcomes reveal Electoral system: the structure of elections under the mid-sized constituency system Candidates Policies Campaigns The emergence of independent voters and their impact The declining influence of the political parties Notes References Further reading 6 Local politics: the frontier of Japanese politics Actors in local politics in Japan Recommendations made by district organizations The political advancement of women Resident and citizen movement groups Local assemblies and the role of assembly members Transitions in local representation and the advancement of women From democratically elected leaders to political party heads The era of regional leaders The local referenda in specific regions Local assembly opposition Freedom of information: whistle blowing Establishment of the Freedom of Information Act Elections without political parties: the case of the 1997 Miyagi gubernatorial election Social policies at the community level in the post-industrial era Environmental policy Public welfare Culture and “internationalization” Notes References Further reading 7 Gender and Japanese politics: transformation by women Gender and politics in Japan The present state of women’s political advancement The current state of “masculine politics” Limited female participation in social activism Forces driving the advancement of female politics Doi Takako and women’s political advancement International influences The “feminization of politics” and Japanese political reform The effect of women’s advancement into politics Notes References Further reading 8 The gap between politics and economics Postwar high-speed economic growth era economic policy and planning: active and passive approaches to economic growth Economic policies during the high-speed growth era Economic plan for the post-industrial society Globalization and “structural reform” Critique of structural reform Politics and money: the changing relationship between politicians and big business Behind Japanese political scandal Reform and the Political Funds Control Law The Democratic Party and political contributions Political contributions in other democratic states Notes References Further reading 9 Globalization and national security Peace and national security in postwar Japan Why the gap in security assurance issues Making security a personal issue The contemporary significance of comprehensive security A made-in-Japan concept of security Globalization crises and the revision of security theory The view of the Japanese Defense Agency The perception of the Japanese Coast Guard New questions and new perspectives on security Globalization crises and their countermeasures Innovative measures to combat global issues Notes References Further reading 10 Japan’s nuclear power politics What Fukushima brought to light Nuclear village funding Collusion with METI Intervention in the political realm Silencing the mass media Buying in the academic world Dominating regional political and business circles Systemic concealment and irresponsibility Reappraising Japanese nuclear politics Toward nuclear power abandonment Germany succeeds where Japan failed Japanese efforts to phase-out nuclear energy: the Friday demonstrations Challenges to abandoning nuclear power: the limits of reform Nuclear power lawsuits Notes References Further reading Appendix I: Japan’s major postwar political parties Appendix II: Japan’s postwar prime ministers Appendix III: primary Japanese cabinet ministries Postwar ministries Japanese ministries at present Index