Democracy and Peace

Articl

The Japanese Liberal-Democratic party and policy-making

Numerous articles and several books have been already written on various aspects of party politics in postwar Japan, including treatments of the conservative parties. These have been mainly in Japanese by Japanese authors but some also have been written by foreign scholars. Few detailed studies, however, of the actual process of policy-making in the Liberal-Democratic Party, have yet been undertaken despite the growing awareness of the urgent need for a better understanding of the government and politics in contemporary Japan, of which this is an important aspect

Party in power : the Japanese Liberal-Democrats and policy-making

Japan's Liberal-Democratic Party has been continuously in power since it was formed in 1955. It has therefore been responsible for virtually all the important policy decisions made since that time in the name of the Japanese government, and it is likely to remain in this position of power for many years to come. The book focuses attention particularly on the processes involved in the formulation of controversial policies. Emphasising the importance of organisation factors and group environment, Dr Fukui examines the party membership, its organisation, intra-party factionalism, and the connection with extra-party support groups. He goes on to analyse in detail some of the more important issues with which the government has been involved in recent years. This is the first study of policy-making in Japan's party in power. The writer has combined the historical approach with an analysis of all aspects of the party. He presents a picture of one side of the Japanese political scene which is a most important jumping-off point for future comparative studies of political parties. For Western readers, and particularly political scientists, it provides some surprising insights into contemporary Japanese politics, and is essential reading for the complete understanding of Japan today