These notes are based on the lecturer's slides, as well as things said in class and some of the readings. It provides comprehensive yet simple explanations of the various political parties, institutions, disasters, leaders etc. It also has tables of comparison which make studying such a content-hea...
Notes: Camryn Nieuwstad
Lecturer & Slide Creator: Dr. Casper Wits
Politics: East Asia
Leiden University
Semester One
Lecture One: The Politics of Japan
- Postwar reindustrialization in record time
- One of the highest standards of living in the world
- High point of economic and political stability and growth: 1975 – 1989
- Followed by the Lost Decade(s) from 1900.
o Problems were never addressed.
- Notable: massive contrast before and after 1990.
o 1980s: economic growth, political stability and growing cultural clout and self-
confidence.
o 1990s and after: economic stagnation, political ossification and lack of self-
confidence.
POLITICAL THEMES IN JAPAN 1945-PRESENT
- Legacy of the war/imperialism
- Constitutional (revision)
- Relations with the West and Asia
o Who should they have closest relation with?
- Atomic energy/nuclear weapons
- Gender equality
- Powerful bureaucracy
- “The Iron Triangle”
- Declining Birthrate
THE POLITICAL SYSTEM
- From 1880s: first Western style government in Asia
- At first a parliamentary system modelled on Bismarck’s Prussia
- Postwar: multiparty system with free elections
- 1946: Women’s vote
- Parliament largely similar to other democratic countries
- Through with unique system of vote distribution
- Unusual: “one party dominant” system (similar: to Italy and Sweden).
THE JAPANESE CONSTITUTION (1947)
- Three pillars
- Replaced quasi-absolute monarch with liberal
constitution
Democracy
- Drafted under supervision of SCAP
- Significant input from the Japanese
Liberal and pacifist
Politicians. Rights and
democracy
distributions
Pacifism 1
,Notes: Camryn Nieuwstad
Lecturer & Slide Creator: Dr. Casper Wits
- Hard to amend.
CONSTITUTION CHAPTER 2: REUNUCIATION OF WAR
- Aspiring sincerely to an international based on justice and order,
- the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation
- the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.
- In order to accomplish this the following will never be maintained:
o Land forces,
o Sea forces
o Air forces
- The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.
- Makes the country pacifist.
In Summary:
- No foreign wars
- No armed forces
- Self-defence
JAPAN SELF DEFENCE FORCES (JSDF)
- 1954
- Made up of:
o Ground Defense Force (Army)
o Air Self-defense force (Air Force)
o Maritime Defense Force (Navy)
th
- 8 largest military budget in the world.
- But constrained by constitution.
o Only to be used to defense or peace keeping missions.
- From 2001: joins international counter-terrorism effort.
- Last 20 years: there have been numerous legal changes that allow the JSDF to move
beyond defense.
o E.g., anti-piracy missions.
1951: SECURITY TREATY BETWEEN THE US AND JAPAN
- “ANPO”
- ’51 Security Theory
- Unrestricted use of bases for US Military.
- Security guarantee (US will safeguard Japan).
- Complete control US over Okinawa (changes in 1972).
o Local people pointing at the damage and negative influence of US soldiers.
o 50 000 US troops in Japan.
▪ E.g., Okinawa bases
o Contentions with US soldiers.
- Japan’s military activities abroad restricted.
2
,Notes: Camryn Nieuwstad
Lecturer & Slide Creator: Dr. Casper Wits
JAPAN’S POLITICAL SYSTEM: THE EMPEROR
- Acts as symbol of the state.
- Very few formal powers
- Ceremonial role
- No advisory role
- Must act on advice of the PM and Cabinet.
- Can never speak about politics in public.
- Talk about emperors in different eras:
o Heisei Era: “Peace Everywhere”
▪ Akihito (emperor’s name)
▪ 1989-2019.
o Reiwa Era: “Beautiful Harmony”
▪ Naruhito
▪ 2019 –
THE POLITICAL SYSTEM: THE DIET
- Bicameral legislature (two houses)
o 1. House of Councilors
▪ 242 seats
▪ Six-year term (half elected every 3 years)
▪ Cannot be dissolved prematurely.
o 2. House of Representatives
▪ 475 seats
▪ Four-year term
▪ Can be dissolved prematurely.
▪ Can issue a resolution of no confidence in the cabinet.
▪ Must be dissolved by the emperor on advice of the PM.
DIET: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
- Most powerful of the two chambers
- Sekihairitsu: Candidates elected through a complex blend of PR and FPTP
Constituency system.
o PR: proportional representation
▪ 6% votes = 6% seats
o FPTP: first past the post
▪ One representative for that local area
▪ Almost always ends up being a 2-party system.
▪ Not proportional representation.
- Due to the lack of PR votes: the rural votes carry more weight than urban votes.
- Since 1947 – urbanization
o People moving from the country to the city.
o Logical to update the division.
▪ Therefore, rural people have better representation than urban people.
▪ Rural people tend to be more conservative.
• Care more about farmers than gender equality.
JAPANESE POLITICAL SYSTEM: THE PRIME MINSTER AND CABINET
- Prime Minister appointed by the emperor.
- Prime Minster selects and removes ministers in the cabinet.
- The Cabinet:
o A majority of cabinet ministers must come from the Diet.
o Cabinet members serve while concurrently Diet members.
o All cabinet members must be civilians.
KISHIDA FUMIO
- Prime Minister: September 2021.
- Liberal Democracy Party (LDP)
- Former Foreign Minister (2012-2017).
- Relatively moderate and consistent
- Some economic distribution to the middle class
- Not interested in changing constitution’s article 9.
- Hiroshima roots mean he is very involved with nuclear non-proliferation.
- International focus on containing China and North Korea and having strong ties with
the West.
- Improvement of relations with South Korea.
JAPANESE POLITICAL SYSTEM: THE SUPREME COURT
- Head of the supreme court
o Designated by the cabinet, appointed by the emperor.
o Appoints other members of the judiciary.
o Judicial review
▪ Rarely exercised – eight times since 1947
POLITICAL PARTIES
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