Study Guide

MacArthur and Hirohito:

Douglas MacArthur was a republican general asked to oversee the U.S
Post-war occupation in Japan. (Trumans administration.)
The American people wanted Hirohito to be executed.
MacArthur understood the importance of the symbolic presence of
Hirohito, decided not to execute him.
MacArthur gained acceptance by preserving the emperor as a symbol.
MacArthur proposed through Hirohito (communicative channel)
Implementation of U.S Ideals
Having Hirohito speak on behalf of MacArthurs transition is an
advantage.
LINK WITH LEGITIMACY: The Japanese saw Hirohito as the
true legitimate ruler, therefore; everything he said would be
followed without demand. MacArthur used this legitimacy to
implement U.S ideals through Hirohito.
Electoral mandate:
Authority granted by a constituency to act as its representative.
Concept of a government having a legitimate mandate to govern via
the fair winning of a democratic election is a central idea of a
representative democracy.
If there wasnt a mandate, there would be a low voter turnout.
LDP won, but not resounding as to claim they have a mandate.
The concept frequently arises in the aftermath of an election when
governments claim to have mandates to enact particular policies and
opponents challenge the extent to which voters had actually supported
those policies.
Concept of mandate has value in linking what governments do to what
they said they would do a basic principle of representative
democracy.
Voters do not necessarily vote on the basis of its policies.
LDP is trusted by the citizens. Although they might agree more with the
policies of the opposition, they do not trust the other party to govern.
Policies of LDP include pushing ahead with economic policies under the
rubric of Abenomics; submitting a revised draft constitution to the Diet,
and conducting a national referendum on constitutional revision;
revitalizing regional economies, restarting safe nuclear power plants;
providing more jobs and higher wages; pushing for women to play an
active role in the economy. Etc.

How prime ministers get elected:

Citizens of Japan elect the diet (legislature)
The members of the Diet are chosen by the people.
Japanese cabinet members are called ministers
In Japan, a majority of the cabinet members must be Diet members.
The diet elects who the prime minister will be.
There are two diets: the upper and lower house.
The lower hose is the most important.
NO CONFIDENCE VOTE: when the house of representatives no longer
thinks the PM is capable of fulfilling his duties.
House of representatives can remove the PM from his position.
Even when elected PM, the PM remains a member of the parliament.
The PM has the power to dissolve the house of representatives and call
for new elections.
The PM can appoint cabinet or dismiss members without approval of
Diet.
These basic features are often referred to as the Westminster system.
Lower House (house of representatives) is the more powerful of the
two.
500 members, elected for a four-year term.
The remaining 200 members of Japans House of Representatives are
elected by proportional representation in 11 regional blocs.
Upper house (the house of councillors)
252 members, elected for six-year terms. 24 politicians elected from
single-seat constituencies, 52 are elected from multi-seats
constituencies. And 50 elected by proportional representation in a
multi-seat constituent.
If the upper house rejects a bill passed by the lower house, it becomes
a law if passed again by the lower house in two-thirds vote.
Candidates are allowed only one campaign car and a small
number of posters and other printed material.
Lasts only 12 days.
Rent seeking politicians:
Rent-seeking involves seeking to increase ones share of existing
wealth without creating new wealth.
When politicians use their resources to obtain an economic gain from
others without reciprocating any benefits back to society through
wealth creation.

 Redistribute resources from the taxpayers to the special-interest group.

Japan as a refractive state:
Absorbs demands from society to produce policies based on those
demands.
Bureaucrats and political leaders bend and mold demands to their own
value and preference.

no confidence vote:
Statement or vote that states that a person in a superior position is no
longer deemed fit to hold that.
Proportional representation:
Distributes seats to parties based on the percentage or proportion of
the vote they receive.
If party gets 10%, then party gets 10 seats.
Pork Barrel Politics:

Spending intended to benefit constituents of a politician in return for

their political support.
Corporations bid, and the bid that is more suitable for tax payers wins.
Projects include construction of railroads, highways, etc.
If people dont vote, project wont happen.
Significantly higher importance in rural than urban areas.

Dango:

Japans system of bid rigging, which is pervasive in public construction.

The firms rotate who will win the competitive bid. Bureaucrats leak
the highest price bid that will be accepted in return for favors from the
industry.
AMAKUDARI: lucrative sinecures when the bureaucrats bribed retired.
The ruling politician, gets the kickback and ensure the adoption of
enormous public construction programs.
Price-fixing conspiracies.
Corporations bid and bribe, the highest amount of bribery wins.
Corruption blocks real reform in Japan.

Duvergers law:
Factors in a two-party and multiparty system.
1. A majority vote on one ballot is conducive to a two-party system.
2. Proportional representation is conducive to a multiparty system
3. A majority vote on two ballots is conducive to a multiparty system,
inclined toward forming coalitions.
The weaker party would gradually be eliminated as a dual
consequence of under-representation and polarization.
Under representation is a mechanical phenomenon.
Elections determined by a majority vote on one ballot pulverizes third
parties.
In a system of proportional representation; the very principle explains
the multiplicity of parties it produces.
An election by a majority vote on a single ballot has a dual effect; first,
it poses an obstacle to the appearance of a new party. Secondly, it
tends to eliminate the weakest party.
Proportional representation passively registers the appearance of new
parties.
The virtuous cycle of dominance:

When a party gains electoral plurality and manages to stay in a policymaking position
Weakens the opposition.

Programmatic:
A programmatic party must have a strong link between the party and
its constituents.
The internal organization is rule-based and democratic.
The policy-making process and the platform reflect the engagement of
the party members.
Articulates a vision, sets an agenda, mobilizes society to initiate
change.
Use rhetoric to inspire, motivate and unify.
Perspective on the political economy of bureaucracy, arguing that
politicians organized into programmatic political parties have stronger
incentives to pursue public policies that require a well-functioning
public administration.
Clientelistic:

 A clientelistic party describes the distribution of selective benefits to

individuals or clearly defined groups in exchange for political support.
Uses pork barrel tactics.
Accountability:
Political leaders have to answer for decisions and take responsibility for
mistakes.
The Buck Stops here
Citizens have leverage to place pressure on leaders and reward or
punish performance.
Characteristics of Japans bureaucracy:
Long history: extensive bureaucracy dates back at least as far as meji
restoration in late 19th century.
Prestigious calling: most bureaucrats drawn from top universities and
must pass rigorous entrance exam.
Organizational loyalty: traditions, norms, values, very strong within
each ministry and very little rotation between ministries.
Seniority and apprenticeship system: young bureaucrats assessed by
senior bureaucrats all the way along the process; rank is an overt form
of identification, once a member of a class rises to the post of
administrative vice-minister all others of that class and older retire.
Bureaucracy: A top-down political process devoted to technical
effectiveness. (Experts adopting the correct methods to solve
problems regardless of public opinion.
Democracy + Bureaucracy: need for an unelected bureaucracy with a
democratic political system. The bureaucrats have power to make
decisions impacting the public.
Politician-bureaucrat relationship: The PM and the cabinet oversee a
large extensive civil service bureaucracy.
Disadvantage that the PM will have with unelected officials
1. Developed under the imperial oligarchy.
2. Top members of the bureaucracy are technocrats or experts in
technical and administrative affairs.
3. Jobs in the bureaucracy do not pay as well as many private
sector jobs do.
Oversight:
Legislature oversees bureaucrats.
Ministers are legislators.

 There can be tension due to the fact that is overseen by the legislator
or PM.
Bureaucrats try to impose some rule; they are experts on the field
Oversight works because a politically neutral civil servant is appointed.
Delegation of responsibility to the bureaucracy for specific tasks in
governing
Make politicians responsible for keeping an eye on the actions and
decisions of the un-elected bureaucrats.
If public is unhappy with results of bureaucratic decision, then the
elected politician is held accountable. (disadvantage)
Difference between programmatic and clientelistic?
LDP more clientelistic
LDP incentivates and bribes people to support them
help an area economically if you support our party.
Pork barrel politics:

Political influence
System behind the scenes corporation

Transparency:

Degree of openness in a political or economic system; the ability of

citizens or outsiders to know details about decision-making.
Identities of all those involved in influencing a policy or decision
Amounts and distribution of financial benefits
Steps or phases in the process of decision-making
Array of options available, other choices that could have been made
aside from ultimate outcome.

Kisha Kurabu:

Reporters club
They receive press releases from agency or business theyre assigned
to cover.
They paraphrase the statements and publish it on their own
newspapers.
Japanese Journalism works for politicians rather than the people.
Its against journalistic principles

Blackboard agreements: news items that the club agreed not to report
on until a specific later date.
Cases when a reporter sells a blackboard news to a weekly magazine,
and once its out there, the blackboard agreement is null and any
reporter can report the new on their newspaper.

Party Factions:
Political parties composed in factors
Political parties are not a single organization but a conglomeration of
factions.
A faction leader provides funds for day-to-day operation of Diet
members.
Faction leader introduces his followers to influential bureucrats.
Koenkai:

Personal candidate support group.

Network of supporters loyal to a specific candidate.
Operate year-round in the local districts for candidates
Via non-campaign activities.

Partys Platform:

List of the values and actions which are supported by a political party
or individual candidate.

Floating voters:

Voters who are not committed to a particular party.

2014 Parliamentary election:

Japans recent Lower House election might suggest that Abe won a
victory, but not a mandate.

Homogenization of news:

Agencies are brought by big corporations and operate in clubs.

Always together when reporting.
Report the same thing.
Not multiple views/opinion for people to decide.

Reporters Club.

Watchdog Journalism:
Presenting people with other views of what is going on.
Investigative Journalism
Uncovers political misdeeds
Watchdog Journalism/Transparency:

Its connected because Japan would be more transparent if there was

more watchdog journalism.
People would report truth about stuff, as well as warn people so the
citizens are aware of what really goes on in the country.

Single member district:

Unlike a multi-member district in SMD winner takes it all.

Small independent parties do not survive in a single member district.

Why has LDP remained strong?

LDP Is strong in rural areas because in those areas, it is easier to

have following criteria.
The more rural the district becomes, the higher the changes are
for having a successful clientelism.
SMD: some argue that this electoral system made a foundation
of the LDPs strong clientelism.
LDP monitors the existence of Koenkais