Japan's Dysfunctional Democracy: The Liberal Democratic Party and Structural Corruption

Japan's Dysfunctional Democracy: The Liberal Democratic Party and Structural Corruption PDF Author: Roger W. Bowen
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315290316
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 152

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Book Description
This is a short, readable, and incisive study of the corrosive effects of corruption in one of the world's major liberal democracies. It explores the disconnect between democratic rule and undemocratic practices in Japan since the Second World War, with special attention to the corrupt practices of various prime ministers and the resulting sense of political cynicism and powerlessness among the general public.

Japan's Dysfunctional Democracy: The Liberal Democratic Party and Structural Corruption

Japan's Dysfunctional Democracy: The Liberal Democratic Party and Structural Corruption PDF Author: Roger W. Bowen
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315290316
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 152

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Book Description
This is a short, readable, and incisive study of the corrosive effects of corruption in one of the world's major liberal democracies. It explores the disconnect between democratic rule and undemocratic practices in Japan since the Second World War, with special attention to the corrupt practices of various prime ministers and the resulting sense of political cynicism and powerlessness among the general public.

Japanese Party Politics and Governance in Transition

Japanese Party Politics and Governance in Transition PDF Author: Julio C. Teehankee
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bureaucracy
Languages : en
Pages : 102

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Book Description
"This study reviews the events that have resulted in the fall and revival of the LDP [Liberal Democratic Party] and an assessment of the factors that have contributed to the end of one of the most durable one-party regimes among the industrialized democracies. An analysis of the external and internal developments within Japan in the postwar era and the political parties' subsequent reactions to these changes within and outside the parliament can provide a plausible explanation to the factors that have led to the weakening of LDP dominance and the decline of the 1955 system. It can also serve as a guide to track the continuing realignment of political forces in Japan"--P. 2.

Critical Readings on the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan

Critical Readings on the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan PDF Author: Robert Pekkanen
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004380523
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 471

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Book Description
The Brill Critical Readings on the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan collects seminal scholarship on the LDP including its structure and organization (e.g. factions, koenkai), historical development, policy-making, and leadership by Junichiro Koizumi and Shinzo Abe.

Party Politics in Japan

Party Politics in Japan PDF Author: Ronald J. Hrebenar
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317745965
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 257

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Book Description
The Japanese political system is a parliamentary democracy and was the first western style government in Asia when the parliamentary system was adopted in the 1880s. It has a multiparty system, free elections, and a parliament that functions much the same way that any other democratic parliament functions, however for much of its existence the Japanese party system has been dominated by one party. This fact is crucial to understanding contemporary politics in Japan, especially since the long term ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party, is once again back in power. This book presents an up-to-date analysis of the political parties that make up the Japanese party system and their impact on Japanese politics and government. Given that the executive branch is selected as a result of the pattern of party numbers in the parliament, to understand Japanese politics and policy, one must first know the nature of the ruling and opposition parties and their leaders. Indeed, in the past decade the quality of Japan’s government has been closely associated with the strengths and weaknesses of Japan’s prime ministers and the dominant party in the system. This book focuses on a central question: why Japanese politics and government has been so dysfunctional in the past two decades? With this question in mind, the chapters provide key background information on Japanese politics and political parties; discuss each of the major political parties that have governed Japan since 1955; and finally, examine the December 2012 House of Representatives elections that returned the LDP to power, and the differences between the First (1955-1993) and the Second Post War Party Systems (1993- ). Party Politics in Japan provides a comprehensive analysis of the past sixty years of Japanese party politics. As such, it will be of great interest to students and scholars of Japanese politics and Asian politics, as well as to those interested in political parties and political systems more broadly.

Political Bribery in Japan

Political Bribery in Japan PDF Author: Richard H. Mitchell
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 9780824818197
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 230

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Book Description
Scholars often use the term "structural corruption" when discussing modern Japan's political system--a system that forces politicians to exchange favors with businessmen in return for funds to finance their political careers. Scholars argue that the origins of corruption can be found in the "iron triangles" formed by politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen during the postwar era or during the Pacific War years. In this examination of malfeasance in Japanese public office, Richard Mitchell systematically surveys political bribery in Japan's historical and cultural contexts from antiquity to the early 1900s. Mitchell's narrative serially considers scandals involving courtiers in the ancient imperial government, corruption among the shogun's samurai officials, and political bribery among bureaucrats and party politicians in the mid-nineteenth century. Mitchell concludes that bribery was as ubiquitous in premodern Japan as it has been in recent times. Focusing on the period since 1868, Mitchell discusses in fascinating detail changes in political bribery in the wake of suffrage expansion, estimates of the enormous amount of campaign money needed to win a Diet seat in both the prewar and postwar periods, and the low conviction rate of suspected takers of bribes. Here is a highly readable and reliable survey of an important yet largely neglected topic in English-language studies of Japanese political history.

The Rise and Fall of Japan's LDP

The Rise and Fall of Japan's LDP PDF Author: Ellis S. Krauss
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 0801460026
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 337

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Book Description
After holding power continuously from its inception in 1955 (with the exception of a ten-month hiatus in 1993–1994), Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost control of the national government decisively in September 2009. Despite its defeat, the LDP remains the most successful political party in a democracy in the post–World War II period. In The Rise and Fall of Japan's LDP, Ellis S. Krauss and Robert J. Pekkanen shed light on the puzzle of the LDP's long dominance and abrupt defeat. Several questions about institutional change in party politics are at the core of their investigation: What incentives do different electoral systems provide? How do politicians adapt to new incentives? How much does structure determine behavior, and how much opportunity does structure give politicians to influence outcomes? How adaptable are established political organizations? The electoral system Japan established in 1955 resulted in a half-century of "one-party democracy." But as Krauss and Pekkanen detail, sweeping political reforms in 1994 changed voting rules and other key elements of the electoral system. Both the LDP and its adversaries had to adapt to a new system that gave citizens two votes: one for a party and one for a candidate. Under the leadership of the charismatic Koizumi Junichiro, the LDP managed to maintain its majority in the Japanese Diet, but his successors lost popular support as opposing parties learned how to operate in the new electoral environment. Drawing on the insights of historical institutionalism, Krauss and Pekkanen explain how Japanese politics functioned before and after the 1994 reform and why the persistence of party institutions (factions, PARC, koenkai) and the transformed role of party leadership contributed both to the LDP's success at remaining in power for fifteen years after the reforms and to its eventual downfall. In an epilogue, the authors assess the LDP's prospects in the near and medium term.

Critical Readings on the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan

Critical Readings on the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan PDF Author: Robert Pekkanen
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 900438054X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 386

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Book Description
The Brill Critical Readings on the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan collects seminal scholarship on the LDP including its structure and organization (e.g. factions, koenkai), historical development, policy-making, and leadership by Junichiro Koizumi and Shinzo Abe.

The Failure of Political Opposition in Japan

The Failure of Political Opposition in Japan PDF Author: Arthur Stockwin
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 9781032185422
Category : Japan
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This book explores the party politics and political system of Japan, which since 1955 has been dominated by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), with a particular focus on the evolution of LDP governments between the 1990s and 2010s. Through its evaluation of the legacy of post-war opposition parties, the politics of electoral reform and the crucial importance of foreign policy (especially in relation to China), this volume argues that Japan has 'lost its way', and that for recovery it needs to move away from single-party dominance. Despite the failures of the Democratic Party (DPJ) government 2009-2012, the reasons for which are explored, the need to combat economic, social and political stagnation requires a more pluralist political environment, in which LDP monopoly of policy and personnel can be realistically challenged by vigorous opposition parties. Comparisons are made with other parliamentary democracies, in particular the United Kingdom, Australia and Sweden, to indicate that single-party dominance is an inadequate substitute for competition between genuine political alternatives. As an analysis of opposition party politics in post-war Japan, this book will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of Political Science, International Relations, Asian Studies and Japanese Studies.

Party Politics in Japan

Party Politics in Japan PDF Author: Ronald J. Hrebenar
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317745973
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 208

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Book Description
The Japanese political system is a parliamentary democracy and was the first western style government in Asia when the parliamentary system was adopted in the 1880s. It has a multiparty system, free elections, and a parliament that functions much the same way that any other democratic parliament functions, however for much of its existence the Japanese party system has been dominated by one party. This fact is crucial to understanding contemporary politics in Japan, especially since the long term ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party, is once again back in power. This book presents an up-to-date analysis of the political parties that make up the Japanese party system and their impact on Japanese politics and government. Given that the executive branch is selected as a result of the pattern of party numbers in the parliament, to understand Japanese politics and policy, one must first know the nature of the ruling and opposition parties and their leaders. Indeed, in the past decade the quality of Japan’s government has been closely associated with the strengths and weaknesses of Japan’s prime ministers and the dominant party in the system. This book focuses on a central question: why Japanese politics and government has been so dysfunctional in the past two decades? With this question in mind, the chapters provide key background information on Japanese politics and political parties; discuss each of the major political parties that have governed Japan since 1955; and finally, examine the December 2012 House of Representatives elections that returned the LDP to power, and the differences between the First (1955-1993) and the Second Post War Party Systems (1993- ). Party Politics in Japan provides a comprehensive analysis of the past sixty years of Japanese party politics. As such, it will be of great interest to students and scholars of Japanese politics and Asian politics, as well as to those interested in political parties and political systems more broadly.

Introduction to Japanese Politics

Introduction to Japanese Politics PDF Author: Louis D. Hayes
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315289431
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 405

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Book Description
This classic introduction to the Japanese political system has been revised and updated to take the account of a time of turmoil in the country's political life. It incorporates new coverage of the end of the Koizumi era, the brief and troubled premiership of Abe, and the selection of Fukuda as prime minister. This edition also includes expanded material on "bubble" and "post-bubble" economic developments, as well as all-new coverage of health care policy.The text opens with an overview of Japan's geographical setting and history. The next group of chapters covers political institutions, processes, and actors. Two sections then address the country's distinctive social order and economy, educational, healthcare, and public safety systems. Part five looks at the increasingly contentious realm of foreign relations and security issues, including China's expanding role and the issue of North Korea. A concluding section considers dynamics of change in Japanese politics.