Governing Japan Divided Politics in a Resurgent Economy

by Stockwin, J. A. A.

• ISBN13: 9781405154161
• ISBN10: 1405154160
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-04-07
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

This fourth edition provides an in-depth, up-to-date, chronological analysis of Japan's current political system and the contributions of its leaders. It emphasizes why Japan and its politics matters in a global society. Ideal for college courses on Japanese or comparative politics as well as for those interested in Japanese war memory, constitutional revision, and Japan's relationship with the US, China, and North and South Korea Offers a chronological approach featuring important recent changes in the Japanese political system Investigates the divided aspects existing below the veneer of consensus in Japanese politics Explores conflicts between power-hungry political groups as well as fundamental differences regarding Japan's constitution, the interpretation of Japanese actions in the Asia-Pacific War, and Japan's place in today's world Advocates a system that readily permits changes of party in power for the present system dominated by the Liberal Democratic Party Examines the extreme statements of high profile politicians to determine whether a "nationalist resurgence" in Japan is real or not Sheds light on the official incompetence and the spectacular rise of civil society following the Kobe earthquake Features numerous Japanese sources

Author Biography

J. A. A. Stockwin received a degree at Oxford in Philosophy, Politics and Economics in 1959 and a doctorate in International Relations from the Australian National University in Canberra in 1965. He taught in the Department of Political Science at the Australian National University until 1981; and was Nissan Professor of Modern Japanese Studies at the University of Oxford from 1982 to 2003. Stockwin remains active in researching and writing on the politics of Japan.

Table of Contents

General EditorÆs Introduction

List of Tables

Maps

Conventions

Acknowledgements

Introduction: Why Japan and its Politics Matter

Historical Background: JapanÆs Emergence as a Modern State and the Politics of War, 1853--1945

Social Background: How far Social Norms and Behaviour Influence Politics

Political Reconstruction and Development, 1945-1989

One Step Forward and One Step Back: Attempting Political Reform in the 1990s

New Politics for the New Millennium: The Koizumi Effect

Who Runs Japan?

Parliament and Parliamentary Elections: The Changing Character of Electioneering

The Politics of Party: The Liberal Democrats and their Rivals

Some Problems of the Constitution

Issues of Domestic Political Concern

Issues of Foreign Policy and Defence

Conclusions: The Analytical Challenge of Japanese Politics

House of Representatives Election Results, 1946-1955

House of Representatives Election Results, 1958-1972

House of Representatives Election Results, 1976-1990

House of Representatives Election Results, 1993-2005

House of Councillors Election Results, 11 July 2004

House of Councillors Election Results, 29 July 2007

Further Reading

Index

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