General Editor's Introduction ix

List of Tables x

Maps xii

Conventions xiv

Acknowledgements xv

1 Introduction: Why Japan and its Politics Matter 1

2 Historical Background: Japan's Emergence as a Modern State and the Politics of War, 1853-1945 12

3 Social Background: How far Social Norms and Behaviour Influence Politics 28

4 Political Reconstruction and Development, 1945-1989 48

5 One Step Forward and One Step Back: Attempting Political Reform in the 1990s 76

6 New Politics for the New Millennium: The Koizumi Effect 101

7 Who Runs Japan? 135

8 Parliament and Parliamentary Elections: The Changing Character of Electioneering 156

9 The Politics of Party: The Liberal Democrats and their Rivals 179

10 Some Problems of the Constitution 202

11 Issues of Domestic Political Concern 224

12 Issues of Foreign Policy and Defence 246

13 Conclusions: The Analytical Challenge of Japanese Politics 265

Appendix 1: House of Representatives election results, 1946-1955 273

Appendix 2: House of Representatives election results, 1958-1972 275

Appendix 3: House of Representatives election results, 1976-1990 276

Appendix 4: House of Representatives election results, 1993-2005 278

Appendix 5: House of Councillors election results, 11 July 2004 280

Appendix 6: House of Councillors election results, 29 July 2007 281

Further Reading 282

Index 289

"The first three editions (1975, 1982 and 1999) have been essential reading for the last two generations of Japan scholars. The latest, published in 2008, is no exception. This is a masterful display of concise and informative writing and a joy to read." (Japanese Studies, December 2009)



"This clearly written and well-organized volume will continue to be of great service to students of Japanese politics." (Pacific Affairs, Autumn 2009)

"Devoid of jargon, this book is written clearly and crisply, and peppered with wit and wisdom. ... Refreshing and pleasing to hear the voice of an eminent British scholar on Japanese politics in a field dominated by American and Japanese academics." (Japanese Journal of Political Science, 2009)

"Arthur Stockwin ... is the leading British expert on Japanese politics. His analysis is succinct and he has managed to unravel most of the complexities of Japanese politics. There is much food for thought in this stimulating and informative book." (Japan Times) "This is by far the most comprehensive, up-to-date and well-balanced introduction to contemporary Japanese government and politics that I know of. The book will be a boon especially to instructors and students in introductory university courses in Japanese and comparative politics." Haru Fukui, University of California, Santa Barbara



"This is an outstanding text on Japanese politics--informative, interesting, extremely well-written in a highly accessible style. The author displays, as ever, a complete mastery of his subject. This is essential reading for any student wishing to understand the changes and continuities in Japanese politics in recent years." Caroline Rose, University of Leeds

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.

J. A. A. Stockwin, University of Oxford