JAPANESE POLITICAL PARTIES

Lecturer: Masayo Goto, PhD
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Ruling and opposition
RULING COALITIONz Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) – largest rulingpartyz New Komeito (Clean Party)
OPPOSITIONz Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) – largestopposition partyz Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDP)z Japanese Communist Party (JCP)
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Strength of Political Groups in both houses
Before election

After election

HOR

HOC

HOR

HOC

Liberal Democratic Party

212

114

296

112

New Komeito

34243124(246)

(138)

(327)

(Ruling coalition in total)
People’s New Party (LDP rebels) (Kokumin shinto)

4-

4New Party Japan (LDP rebels) (Nippon)

3-

1

Independent rebels

30-

13

Democratic Party of Japan and Club of Independents

17584

113

82

Japanese Communist Party

9999Social Democratic Party

6676Independents

4565Vacancy
MEMBERSHIP

31480242480242

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Liberal Democratic Partyz Established in November 1955 through the merger of the Liberal
Party and the Japan Democratic Partyz The LDP held uninterrupted power in Japan from 1955 until
1993, when it briefly lost government to an eight-party
coalitionz The LDP returned to power in June 1994 as the major partner ina coalition with the Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDP)z Since 1998 it has strengthened its position in the Diet byforming a coalition with New Komeito
z The current party president is Prime Minister Junichiro
Koizumi. He was elected as party president in 2001.
z The party will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding inNovember 2005
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New Komeito
Komeito originally formed in 1964
the political wing of Soka Gakkai
Komeito merged with other parties in 1994 to form the New
Frontier Party, but split off again and eventually joined with theNew Peace Party in 1998 to become New Komeito.
In October 1999, New Komeito joined the coalition
government, then led by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi
since April 2001, it has been part of the Koizumi coalition
government.
At least one ministerial post is given to one of New Komeito
members.
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THE OPPOSITION
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)The Democratic Party of Japan was established in May
1998 from a merger of four parties
The DPJ aims for a two political party system
The Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDP)
Established in 1945, the Social Democratic Party ofJapan (previously known as the Japan Socialist Party)
Party Chairman Tomiichi Murayama became the firstsocialist prime minister of Japan.
The Japanese Communist Party (JCP)
Formed in 1922,
The Party accepts the democratic parliamentary system
7in Japan but styles itself on "scientific socialism".

Major LDP policies
LDP aims for a party reform
The LDP headed by the National Vision Project
Committee of the National Strategy Headquarters
launched a party reform project and drafted a
proposal under the name of “Political System on 13March 2002.
z Regain public confidence through a newelection systemz Convert bureaucratic-dominated decisionsystem must be converted into politicsdominated decision systemz Become a permanent member of the UNSC

8Major DPJ policies
Japan Revival Vision for 2015
Party President Okada released his “Japan Revival Visionfor 2015” on 25 August. The vision is targeted for theperiod of eight years after the DPJ takes power within acouple of years.
z Regain public confidence in politics
z Set up a sustainable social welfare systemz Transfer central government powers to municipalities
z Become a permanent member of the UNSC
z Realize normalization between Japan and DPRK afterresolving nuclear and abduction issues
z Age for eligible voters to be raised to 18 years old
z Provide Child Allowance to families with children under 18years old9

Two-political party system? Political realignment?
z The LPD has been in power since 1955 except for the period
between 9 August in 1993 and 8 April 1994 when Hosokawa
cabinet was formed.
z Hosokawa cabinet was formed by all opposition parties except
JCP - stop LDP's absolute majority one-party rule.
z The party was short-lived because Hosokawa coalition cabinet
had quickly lost its centripetal force - prime minister Hosokawa's
involvement in money scandals.

The DPJ must win a majority of seat in the next generalelection!!!
LDP and DPJ form a large coalition and then is divided
into two major parties by policies (i.e. constitutionalreform, education reform, structural reform)⇒ POLITICAL REALIGNMENT
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2005 General Election

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2005 General Election
zLDP won 296 seats: the largest share inpostwar politics
zRuling coalition now commands twothirds of the seats in HOR (327 seats) more than a two-thirds majority in thelower house. This allows them to passlegislative bills without the consent of theupper housezDPJ won 113 seats against 175 seats
122005 General election result
Seats decided
Total
LDP DPJ KOMJCP SDP PNP NPN MIN IND REB
Single 219

528012001813300

Prop

77

61

239621100180

Total

296

113

31974111813480

Pre

212

177

34

954313230477

LDP = Liberal Democratic Party

PNP = People's New Party

DPJ = Democratic Party of Japan

NPN = New Party NipponKOM = Komeito

MIN = Minor parties

JCP = Japanese Communist Party

IND = Independents

SDP = Social Democratic Party

REB = Postal privatization rebels

S = single-seat costituencies
P = proportional representation seats
Pre = pre-election seats

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Seats prior to the election

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Elected seats15

Election analysis
z Koizumi (LDP) vs. Okada (DPJ)
Koizumi: a referendum on the privatization ofJapan Post *Okada: did not have a clear position on theprivatization issue
z Assassins
20 were elected (9 defeated rebels in single-seatconstituencies, 11 were elected by proportional
representation, 5 'assassins' failed to be elected)
z Independent voters
Urban areas - the LDP had a devastating victory16

Questionsz Question 1: In the 9/11 general election, the LDP,
together with its coalition partner Komeito, has secured
the absolute majority in the lower house (two-thirds ofthe seats). What are the major reasons for this landslide
victory and why is a majority of Japanese voters choose
the LDP rather than the DPJ (major opposition party)?
z Question 2. Koizumi’s tenure as president of the LDP( as well as the prime minister) will expire in one year.
He insists that he will not remain in the post. Who will be
the next president of the LDP as well as the prime
minister of Japan and what are major issues surrounding
post-Koizumi?
z Question 3: Is there a prospect of a two-party politicalsystem in Japan while the LDP (in the form of a coalitiongovernment) continues to dominate a majority of thelower house?
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END OF LECTURE(JAPANESE POLITICAL PARTIES)

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