Elections and Modern Politics

Elections in the upper House of Councilors occur every three years when half the members have to stand for election. The 1992 election for the upper house had the potential for dramatic change, but it did not happen. In the previous election, the ruling Liberal-Democratic Party narrowly lost its majority in this House. This forced… [Read more]

Before 1945 Between 1913 and 1941, Japan evolved a two-party parliamentary system. but since other minor parties were able to survive the system is properly called a multi-party system. The history of parties goes back to the 1870s when government leaders from the former Tosa domain, disagreeing with their share of power, left the government… [Read more]

The Japanese political structure was reformed by the Allied Occupation after 1945 in ways that were intended to democratize the country by removing impediments to democracy and by imposing some new institutions. At the top on the national level, the emperor is now a ceremonial institution, much like the British monarchy. The institution still has,… [Read more]

A political campaign in Japan is very carefully limited by laws as well as by tradition. Legally, some forms of campaigns common in other countries are prohibited: door-to-door soliciting for votes is illegal, for example. Others forms that are prohibited are more familiar: gifts may not be given to voters (they might constitute bribes) and… [Read more]