JapanA Visit on its Political Culture

Political Behavior

Japan is one of the few non-European countries to

modernize while retaining its own culture.

Political Behavior

Under the first constitution of Japan in 1890 (the Meiji Constitution if 1890), Japan

established the first modern legislature called “the Imperial Diet”.

The Japanese constitution is apparently premised upon the Representative

democracy.

Political Behavior

People in Japan no longer have any sovereign power after the enactment of

the constitution and the only powers they have are those granted by the

Constitution.

Local residents are granted broader rights of participation.

Political BehaviorThere is also a strict limitation as to where the

political participation in Japan is concerned and this is the reason why not many of the

citizens are interested in politics.

Japanese attitudes towards politics or self-assessments of personal motivation may

therefore be more casual or superficial than among people who are, in certain senses,

more “politicized”

Political Behavior One aspect of post-war Japan’s political

culture is that Japanese social relations are essentially based on hierarchy.

Individuals are taught that the group comes first, and they are willing to accept

hard work, poor living conditions, and limited personal liberty to support the

group.

Political Behavior

Japanese tend to accept values based on subservience to authority.

It was male-oriented and paternalistic, though female members was no

recognized.

Political BehaviorA sense of conformism and group loyalty is a

dominant feature of the Japanese culture.

Japanese Prime ministers rise to their position because of their amicability and in their skills at consensus building. Seldom

do they rise to their position because of the strength of their personality or the force of

their ideas.

Parties and FactionsJapanese politics have long been

characterized by strong political factions.

Many political analysts believed that Japan’s pre-1994 electoral system

contributed to the strength of factions.

Parties and Factions

In order to win votes, candidates had to distinguish themselves from their

party’s other candidates, often by developing a personal following, or

faction.

Parties and FactionsIn domestic politics, the LDP continued to hold

the reins of government throughout the 1970s, although the party’s cabinets changed frequently, due largely to factional infighting.

In the aftermath of the scandals, the LDP lost its absolute majority in the lower house

between 1976 and 1980.

Women’s Interest in Politics

Women are likely to be concerned about public policy issues due to the fact, in some

extent that these issues are regarded to their primary role in the household as a

wife and a mother to the family.

Japanese women claim that they are politically independent.

Women’s Interest in Politics

Women have higher voting rates because they believe that voting is a

civic duty.

Membership in women’s associations increases probability of voting.

Women’s Interest in Politics

Housewives are just as interested in politics and voting.

Middle-aged women have a high probability of voting.

New Political Culture

NPC is the theory that explains the changes in political attitudes and actions of the public in advance

industrialized societies.

New Political CultureAccording to Nakatani, Clark and Inglehart, there are

three major factors as the cause of the rise of this New Political Culture.

• Economic- from agriculture and manufacturing to rise of technology or “high tech”

• Social- increase in the number of smaller families, extended family and the weakening of family links to education and occupations.

• Governmental- highlighted the developed welfare state programs that have solved many of the major problems of the past.

New Political CultureSome studies have found NPC Features in

Japan at the local political elite level.

HOSHU KAKUSHIN- the equivalent of classic left right ideology in western

societies.

New Political Culture

In the Past:• Hoshu meant support for a prewar

regime and the rearmament of Japan,• Kakushin meant support for an anti

prewar regime and the opposition to the rearmament of Japan.

New Political Culture

In the Present:• Hoshu meant support for small

governments, market economy, and economic development.• Kakushin meant support for big

governments, equality and participation.

New Political CultureNPC citizens refuse to be treated as “clients”

of parties or the government as they have more personal resources (education,

income, communication skill, etc.).

They are more active in joining issue-specific organizations and seeking participation in

general policy formation.