The Core of Japanese Democracy: Latent Interparty Politics

269 Pages·2005·1.02 MB·English

by  Yasumasa Kuroda

The Core of Japanese Democracy
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The Core of Japanese Democracy
Latent Interparty Politics
Yasumasa Kuroda
THECOREOFJAPANESEDEMOCRACY
© Yasumasa Kuroda,2005.
All rights reserved.No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
First published in 2005 by
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ISBN 1–4039–6901–9
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kuroda,Yasumasa,1931–
The core of Japanese democracy :latent interparty politics /
Yasumasa Kuroda.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1–4039–6901–9
1.Japan.Kokkai—Decision making.2.Legislators—Japan.3.Japan—
Politics and government—1945—Decision making.4.Negotiation—Japan.
5.Democracy—Japan.6.Political parties—Japan.I.Title.
JQ1654.K87 2005
320.952—dc22 2004061824
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd.,Chennai,India.
First edition:June 2005
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America.
For all my former students
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Contents
List of Figures viii
List of Tables ix
Preface x
Acknowledgments xii
1. Introduction: Dissimulation, Enigma,
Formalist, Prismatic Society to Bilayer Theory 1
2. The Bilayer Theory 27
3. Japanese Politics in Bilayer Perspective 57
4. The History of IPRC Politics: 1890–1993 91
5. The Origin and Nature of the Bilayer Structure 135
6. The Core of Japanese Democracy 143
7. Conclusion: Summary and Implications 185
Appendix 209
Glossary 211
Notes 215
References 237
Index 245
List of Figures
2.1 Abridged Scattergram by Language and Nationality 43
2.2 Language, Culture, and Government 49
2.3 External Pressure and Bilayer Structure in the Diet 54
2.4 Latent IPRC in the Legislative Process 54
3.1 The First 10 Steps in Bill Drafting and Introduction
by Cabinet to the Diet 64
List of Tables
2.1 Middle Response by Nationality and Language in Use 41
2.2 High Loading Variables on the First Dimension 42
2.3 High Loading Variables on the Second Dimension 43
2.4 Logo-self-centrism versus Rashomonesque-diffuse-self 47
4.1 The Ruling LDP IPRC Chairs and the HR HMC
Chairs, 1955–1993 101
4.2 Expenditure of the LDP IPRC, 1965 110
4.3 IPRC Expenditure and Events by Duration 119
5.1 System Category by Era 137
6.1 Democracy: Favorable or Unfavorable 151
6.2 Voter Eligibility, Turnout, and Candidate Competition in
Historical Perspective 153
6.3 Interest in General Election 154
6.4 Preference to be Born Woman Next Time by Year 156
6.5 Japanese Superiority Complex by Year 156
6.6 Leave It up to Outstanding Political Leaders by Year 158
6.7 Alienation and Crime by Year 162
6.8 Engel’s Coefficient by Year 167
6.9 Per Capita GDP by Year 168
6.10 Living Standard by Year 169
6.11 Your Standard of Living in the Last Decade 170
6.12 Welfare Recipient by Year 170
6.13 Leveling of Income Distribution by Year 171
6.14 Annual Pay of Chief Executives and Entry-Level
Employees by Year 172
6.15 Average Life Expectancy by Gender and Year 174
6.16 Infant Mortality Rate by Year 174
6.17 Total Number of Suicide, Suicide Rate, and
Suicide Reasons by Year 176
6.18 Unemployment Rate by Year 177
6.19 Getting Beyond Compulsory Education by Year 178
6.20 Summary Findings: The Dynamics of Democracy 179