Election losses set back Abe's plans

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equality ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
Political Change ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
Left Main ◽  
Generational Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Ruling Party

Significance Abe's conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its long-time coalition partner won a comfortable majority but not the two-thirds supermajority in the house that Abe would need to ensure passage of revisions to Japan's constitution, even with the support of the 16 representatives of the pro-revision Japan Innovation Party. Impacts The nucleus of a new centre-left main opposition may be forming. Women were poorly represented, undermining Abe's professed commitment to gender equality. Japan's younger voters show a preference for the conservative ruling party, suggesting generational change will not bring political change.

Ruling party landslide empowers South Korea’s Moon

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Party ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
Living Standards ◽  
Parliamentary Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Assembly ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time ◽  
Ruling Party

Subject The results of the 2020 National Assembly election in South Korea. Significance President Moon Jae-in’s liberal Democratic Party won an unprecedented 180 out of 300 seats in the National Assembly in the four-yearly parliamentary election on April 15. Despite COVID-19, voting was smooth and turnout reached 66.2%, a 26-year high. The conservative opposition leader lost his seat and has resigned. A prominent North Korean defector won a constituency seat for the first time. Impacts Unless the next two years are catastrophic, this win augurs well for the Democrats to retain the presidency after Moon’s term ends in 2022. Even if a conservative retakes the presidency in 2022, their first two years will be thwarted by a parliament now overwhelmingly liberal. Moon will be emboldened to resist US demands on paying for US troops, take a hard line towards Tokyo and pursue peace with Pyongyang. In economic policy, the priority will be to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on GDP, exports and living standards.

The Political Strategy of Appealing to Religious Nationalism: Examining Motivations to Join Religious Organizations by Japanese LDP Politicians

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Hope Dewell Gentry
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Party ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
Political Organization ◽  
Political Strategy ◽  
Religious Nationalism ◽  
Electoral Incentives ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Original Dataset ◽  
Politics And Religion ◽  
Ruling Party

Abstract When the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) again took control after the 2012 general election, Japan's ruling party politicians increasingly associated themselves with Shinto Seiji Renmei, a political organization that is affiliated with Shinto, the country's native religion. What are the motivations for joining such a group, considering Japan has institutional regulations regarding the separation of politics and religion, in addition to there being no sign of rising religiosity among the Japanese population? I explain this puzzle by focusing on politicians' electoral incentives in a changing environment of Japan's party politics. As the opposition became fragmented after 2012, the ruling party's candidates found it electorally advantageous to appeal to the core supporters rather than the centrist floating voters. An empirical analysis of an original dataset supports my argument. The findings suggest the changes in Japan's political landscape might affect the future strategies of LDP politicians, particularly regarding the coalition with Komeito. Overall, this study proposes that there is a need to pay closer attention to politicians' strategic use of religion in politics.

Constitution will overshadow Japan election campaign

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Party ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
Party Politics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
House Election ◽  
Voting Age ◽  
First Time

Subject The outlook for legislation and party politics ahead of the July upper house election. Significance Now in his fourth year as prime minister, Shinzo Abe enjoys strong public support and faces no serious challenger. In an upper house election in July, his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) hopes to capture enough seats to call a referendum on revising the constitution -- Abe's ultimate political aim. Impacts Abe will use Japan's hosting of the G7 summit in May to present himself as a world statesman. A new emphasis on welfare and social inclusion will not come at the expense of the LDP's traditional pro-business policies. TPP ratification is likely before May. With the voting age lowered for the first time to 18, the more socially progressive but less pacificist youth vote becomes more important.

Japan gender equality policies have economic goals

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Harassment ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Generational Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Female Candidates ◽  
Criminal Penalties ◽  
Ruling Party ◽  
The Way

Subject Gender inequality in Japan. Significance The need to improve gender equality has been discussed in Japan for decades, but progress has been slow or non-existent. Impacts The extent of the gendering of elected politics in Japan up until now suggests that progress will be slow. Generational change will likely be needed before the ruling party can field more female candidates. Laws against sexual harassment are more likely to be framed in terms of compensation rather than fines or criminal penalties. Businesses oppose tougher laws against sexual harassment, fearing they will open the way for a flood of lawsuits.

Moscow's solution for protest region is ill-judged

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Party ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Parliamentary Elections ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Electoral Support ◽  
Rule Change ◽  
Gubernatorial Election ◽  
Regional Elections

Significance Khabarovsk is entering a third week of sustained protests following the arrest of regional governor Sergey Furgal. The Kremlin has not responded to this act of rebellion and has instead produced a hierarchical solution, installing a replacement governor with none of the skills needed in this explosive situation. Impacts The timing means that (barring a rule change) Khabarovsk's gubernatorial election is likely next year, not this. The protests in Khabarovsk and elsewhere may damage electoral support for United Russia in regional and parliamentary elections. A new law allowing voting over several days, initially in regional elections, will permit manipulation to keep United Russia's vote up. If the situation deteriorates, the president will shift the blame onto the Liberal Democratic Party.

The Policymaking Process in Japan

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomohito Shinoda
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Party ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
Political Leadership ◽  
Collective Responsibility ◽  
Executive Branch ◽  
Executive Power ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Japanese Prime Minister

Long into the postwar period, the policymaking power of the Japanese prime minister was limited. The cabinet’s collective responsibility did not allow him to control the executive branch independently from the cabinet. The Cabinet Law divided the executive power among cabinet ministers, allowing the sectionalism that developed among different ministries. As a result, a bureaucratic supremacy developed in the policymaking process. The long-time governing party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), also developed a decentralized, bottom-up policymaking structure. As a result, the prime minister had difficulty exercising strong leadership in government decision-making. This situation changed after the 1994 electoral reform, which encouraged Diet members to become policy generalists and weakened the influence of the LDP policy subcommittees. Further, the administrative reform efforts under the Ryūtarō Hashimoto cabinet strengthened the authority of the prime minister and his cabinet. Benefiting from these institutional changes, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi introduced a top-down policymaking process. The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) governments in 2009–2012 tried to further strengthen political leadership in policymaking. However, instead of political leadership, they created a weak bureaucracy with lowered moral. During the second Shinzō Abe government, the prime minister successfully established the cabinet-led policymaking system.

Kremlin wants 2018 Russian poll to give real mandate

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Presidential Election ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Narrative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Fourth Term ◽  
The Government ◽  
One Year

Subject Kremlin strategy for the 2018 presidential election. Significance With one year to go before the 2018 presidential election, the Kremlin strategy that will frame the process is starting to take shape. The nature of Vladimir Putin’s campaign has a bearing on his fourth term, during which he must either identify a successor or engineer an extension of his tenure beyond 2024. Impacts Putin will rally populist sentiment on the back of foreign policy successes in Crimea and Syria. A possible rapprochement with the United States would restrict the national narrative of ‘Russia encircled’. The Liberal Democratic Party and the Communist candidates will criticise the government but will not run opposition campaigns.

Abe's election win opens way to revise Constitution

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Party ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Initiatives ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
The Us ◽  
Near Future ◽  
First Time ◽  
Stimulus Package

Significance The governing coalition led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) made gains, with the LDP itself now controlling exactly half the seats in the chamber. Parties in favour of revising Japan's Constitution captured the two-thirds supermajority necessary to call a referendum on the question for the first time ever. Impacts An economic stimulus package is likely soon. Parliamentary opposition to relocation of the US Futenma airbase has strengthened -- a setback for Japan-US relations. New foreign policy initiatives are likely in the near future. Cooperation among opposition parties paid off, and may become more common in future.

Re-elected Abe will focus on constitution

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Party ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
The Other ◽  
Party Leader ◽  
Japanese History ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Liberal Democratic

Subject The implications of Shinzo Abe's re-election for another term as party leader. Significance Shinzo Abe’s re-election to the post of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president on September 20 makes it likely that he will continue to serve as prime minister until September 2021. In November 2019 he will become the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history. Impacts Promotions to the new cabinet will give indications of who might run for party leader next time round. If Washington imposes tariffs, Japan will probably retaliate. Japan will try to strengthen relations with the other two members of the ‘Quad’ (India and Australia).

Ishiba cannot rival Abe for Japan leadership yet

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Security Policy ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
Party Leader ◽  
Good Sense ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
The Us

Subject A profile of Shigeru Ishiba. Significance Ishiba was runner-up to Abe in the 2012 leadership contest for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and since then has positioned himself to replace Abe as party leader and prime minister should Abe's popularity falter. A poll last month showed that 20.4% of the public wanted Ishiba as prime minister compared with Abe's 19.7%, a dramatic swing since December, when Abe had 34.5% and Ishiba just 10.9%. Impacts Security policy is Ishiba's strength; he has well-developed views and a good sense of what is realistic. Ishiba's critique of Abenomics is lucid, but he has yet to offer a clear alternative. Washington would likely welcome an Ishiba government since he has good connections in the US defence establishment. Ishiba's Christianity may also win him points in Washington.

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