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Abstract The Liberal Democratic Party maintains a dominant position in Japanese politics while the opposition side is fragmented into many parties. Small opposition parties, namely the Communists, are still surviving [...]

This article examines the elevated status of the prime minister in the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) government through the lens of Poguntke and Webb's presidentialization thesis. There are two distinctive characteristics in the Japanese case. First, its presidentialization does not occur as the evolution of the Westminster model and instead follows a unique path. Second, the reinforced position of the Japanese premiership is in essence the product of institutional reforms that the Japanese political class has enacted in the last two decades for the renewal of national strategies, which in turn means that the Japanese presidentialization is taking place by design at its core. Furthermore, the latter fact implies its potential risks--most importantly, the progress of presidentialization under the LDP's continued dominance can undermine check-and-balance functions in Japanese democracy to a hazardous degree. Keywords: Japan, Japanese Contemporary Politics, Comparative Politics, Role of Political Leaders, Liberal Democratic Party, LDP, Democratic Party of Japan, DPJ, Japanese Prime Minister, Presidentialization of Japanese Politics, Westminster Model, Parliamentary System, Japanese Premiership, Institutional Reforms, National Strategies, Political Institutions. Este articulo examina el elevado estatus del primer ministro en el gobierno del Partido Liberal Democrdtico (PLD) a traves de la tesis de presidencializacion de Poguntke y Webb. Hay dos caracteristicas distintivas en el caso japones. Primero, su presidencializacion no ocurre como la evolution del modelo de Westminster y, en cambio, sigue un camino unico. En segundo lugar, la posicion reforzada de la presidencia japonesa es, en esencia, el producto de las reformas institucionales que la clase politica japonesa ha promulgado en las ultimas dos decadas para la renovation de las estrategias nacionales, lo que a su vez significa que la presidencializacion japonesa se lleva a cabo desde el principio. Ademas, el ultimo hecho implica sus riesgos potenciales; lo mas importante es que el progreso de la presidencializacion bajo el dominio continuo del PLD puede socavar las funciones de control y equilibrio en la democracia japonesa en un grado peligroso. Palabras clave: Japon, Politica Japonesa Conteporanea, Politica Comparada, Partido Liberal Democratica, LDP, Presidencializacion de la Politica Japonesa, Modelo de Westminster. [phrase omitted], The roles of top leaders are expanding in the politics of countries across the world. Rapid changes in industries driven by globalization, transformations of global politics such as shifting power [...]

This study has focused on the organizational and structural aspects of Nippon Kaigi, a major rightist lobbying group in Japan. It argues that Nippon Kaigi may not be that powerful despite the group's influential outlook. By examining the elements of the organization and their relationships with each other, this study observes that Nippon Kaigi as a whole may not be very cohesive., Author(s): Daiki Shibuichi [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Centennial College, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Introduction Nippon Kaigi , a rightist advocacy group that has existed in Japan since 1997, captured the attention [...]

The dominance of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was long buttressed by the existence of a strong political support base in the rural areas led by local politicians who worked [...]

The postwar electoral dominance of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was founded on (1) strong incumbency advantage, which insulated its legislators from declining party popularity, and (2) the malapportionment of [...]

Japanese often present their 'family system' as a timeless national tradition. Instead this article examines changes in Japanese family structure from the late nineteenth century to recent years, focusing on interrelationships between the Japanese managerial state and family. Specifically it charts (1) the state's role in establishing the household as the primary site of welfare provision and (2) the gradual shift from the patriarchal household to a family system centred on the woman as household manager and mother. The development of the woman-centred family occurred in dialogue between urban women activists and the state, which increasingly perceived the advantages of mobilizing married women to raise healthy children, organize neighbourhoods, care for the family's elderly and take responsibility for saving the family's money. Keywords: state; family; social welfare; policy; gender; Japan. DOI: 10.1080/03085147.2010.486214

TOKYO -- In June 2007, as Japan's upper house elections were drawing near, the nation's largest organized crime group--the 40,000 member Yamaguchi-gumi--decided to throw its support behind the country's second [...]

This essay traces the rise of new civic movements in Japan from the 1970s. Challenging claims that these movements are transforming the country's civil society, the article shows how state, corporate, and civic actors have fashioned a domesticated and largely apolitical sphere of social activism. Not only have bureaucratic and corporate elites fostered cooperative and useful groups, leading civic activists have crafted a pervasive logic of 'proposal' which demonizes contentious politics, espouses self-help as the solution to all social problems, and celebrates intimate engagement with the state and market. Accordingly, the article argues for a more nuanced reading of transformation in Japan's civil society.

Japan's political scene, foreign policy, and its economic appreciation in 2007 are reviewed. Partial defeat of the Liberal Democratic Party led to a divided government, triangular mergers opened doors for overseas firms, and the U.S. financial and economic uncertainty led to a sharp appreciation of the yen and evoked concern regarding Japanese dependence on exports to the U.S.

The European Union as viewed by the business and political circles as well as the general public and civil society in Japan is presented.

The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe has restated that security and defense reforms will continue despite his party suffering a setback in the recent elections.

The article discusses the 1994 revision of the electoral law in Japan that led to an enormous political change in power between faction leaders and the Prime Minister.

The structural changes in the Liberal Democratic Party that have led to the success of the Japanese Prime Minister Koisumi's role are discussed.

The Yasukuni controversy from the perspective of conservative nationalism among the major political parties in Japan is discussed.

Japan's recent transformation in different fields including economic, political and social aspects is discussed.

Many theatre pieces in Japan now focus on a certain type of physicality which results from the sense of unease present in Japanese society. Manabu Noda argues that the senses of estrangement, distrust, apathy, helplessness, and incongruity in this supposedly democratic country come partly from the macho pressures under the right-wing Koizumi administration of 2001-06, and examines some current Japanese performances in the context of Japanese post-war society and of the continuing conflict in Iraq. He explores how these performances stage the body ill at ease--perceived as something irrevocably 'left behind' physically rather than textually. Manabu Noda is former general secretary of the Japan Centre of the International Association of Theatre Critics, and presently holds the position of Professor in the School of Arts and Letters at Meiji University in Tokyo. A theatre critic, he has also published books and essays on British and Japanese acting and theatre history. The present paper is based on a presentation in October 2006 at the conference 'Foundation and Horizon of Hong Kong Performing Arts Criticism', organized by the International Association of Theatre Critics in Hong Kong, and on a shortened version presented at the IATC 2006 Extraordinary Congress in Seoul.

The Meiji political novel was closely connected to contemporary changes in techniques for the representation of history. Suehiro Tetcho's novel Setchubai (Plum blossoms in snow, 1886) shares many of the concerns of the historiography of its time, in particular the desire to explain the place of 1868 in Japanese history. The novel positions 1868 as a step in the establishment of democracy in Japan, to be followed by the founding of a liberal parliament in 1890. At the same time, the novel's philosophy of history disqualifies fundamental dissent from the reformist programs espoused by the Meiji government and liberals alike.

The popularity of the Japanese Prime minister and its positive impact on the electoral fortunes of Japan's Liberal Democratic party is seen and the hypothesis is confirmed.

A discussion is presented on how Koizumi Junichiro became president of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), how he was able to survive numerous challenges as party leader and as prime minister, and how he revived his own as well as the party's waning popularity. The ramifications of Koizumi's policy agenda and leadership style for Japan's international relations in the 21st century and for Japanese democracy are also examined.

Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro of Japan stepped down in September 2006 after a five-year term in which he left a great legacy in domestic politics and foreign policy, but also encountered a backlash against his economic reform program. His successor, Abe Shinzo has pledged to repair relations with Japan's neighbors, China and South Korea, and to promote a pro-growth economic strategy.

Matsushita Seikei Juku (MSJ) is the most successful political school in post-war Japan, and probably stimulated by the seeming success of MSJ, top leaders from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), proposed establishing political schools. The foundation and reasons for the MSJ's existence are traced and an analysis of the institute's student recruitment process and curriculum is presented.

"Japan is on the threshold of a new era in the way it relates to the international environment. As it becomes an assertive political-strategic actor, foreign observers will once again be surprised...."

The transformation of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) into a more centralized and cohesive party and its implications on Japanese politics are structurally analyzed. Japan is expected to move towards a British-style Westminster system of parliamentary democracy due to these changes brought about by the effect of a structural force in Japanese politics.