The Need for Reform in Japanese Politics

Abstract

At one time it was widely believed by Western observers of Japan that since Japanese culture was situationally relativist rather than individualistic and principled, the Japanese found little difficulty in changing direction fundamentally should the situation demand it.² It seemed to follow from this that Japan was prone to sudden changes of policy direction, and indeed that the most fundamental structures of politics, such as the current constitution or the political system itself, might be expected to change suddenly in response to new circumstances and pressures. Examples usually cited to support this case were the conversion of dissident samurai during the 1860s from rejection to emulation of advanced Western countries; the shift from semi-parliamentary politics in the 1920s to ultranationalism in the 1930s; and the rapid conversion from Emperor-centred military rule to a broadly liberal and democratic order after 1945.

This chapter was completed in August 1992, approximately one year before the collapse of the single-party dominance that had characterised Japanese party politics for some 38 years. The Hosokawa coalition government, which took office in August 1993, put in place a programme of political reform, but the advent of coalition government also ushered in a period of political instability, as three differently composed governments were formed within the space of a year. Rather than rewriting this chapter to take account of the events of 1993 and 1994, the author prefers to have it as it was written in 1992, since the argument seems particularly relevant to the new political situation as it unfolds. An epilogue will briefly outline developments since 1993.