CHARACTERISTICS OF JAPANESE POLITICSDr. Machya A. Dewi, M.Si.Machdewi@yahoo.com

ConstitutionEnacted on 3 May, 1947.Parliamentary system of government.Guarantees fundamental rights. The emperor is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people, exercises a ceremonial role without the possession of sovereigntyArticle 9: renunciation of the right to wage war.

Parliament/DietHighest organ of state power (article 41)Bicameral legislature.Composed of a lower house (House of Representative) and an upper house (House of Councillors).Directly elected under a parallel voting system.Passing laws, selecting prime minister, approval national budget, ratification of treaties.The HoR can be dissolved by Prime Minister, the HoC cannot be dissolved.

Composition of DietHouse of Representatives: 480 members, 300 are elected from single seat constituencies under the Single Member Plurality ("First-past-the-post") system, and 180 are elected from eleven separate electoral blocs under the party list system of proportional representation (PR). House of Councillors: Of 242 members, 146 are elected from 47 prefectural constituencies by means of the Single Non-Transferable Vote. The remaining 96 are elected by open list PR from a single national list.

House of Representatives DPJ/Club of Independents (306)LDP (118)Kmeit (21)JCP (9)SDP/Shimin Reng (6)YP (5)PNP/NPN (4)SPJ (2)former "Hiranuma group" (2)Independents (6)Vacant (1)

House of CouncillorsDPJ/Shinryokufkai (106)LDP(83)Kmeit (19)YP (11)JCP (6)SPJ/NRP (5)SDP (4)PNP (3)independents (5)

CabinetConsist of Prime Minister and Ministers of state.Prime Minister (must be civilian) is chosen by Diet.Cabinet members (must be civilian) are nominated by Prime Minister.The Prime Minister has the power to appoint and remove ministers (majority must be Diet members).Collectively the cabinet is responsible to the Diet.The House of Representative can dissolve the cabinet by no confidence motion.

Recent Prime MinistersMorihiro Hosokawa (July 1993), new parties coalition.Tsutomo Hata (April 1994).Tomiichi Murayama (June 1994), coalition of JSP, LDP & Sakigake.Ryutaro Hashimoto (January 1996).Keizo Obuchi (July 1998), LDP, Liberal Party & New Komeito.Yoshiro Mori (April 2000), LDP, New Komeito, New Conservative Party.Junichiro Koizumi (April 2001).

RecentJunichiro Koizumi (October 2003). Shinzo Abe (September 2006).Yasuo Fukuda (September 2007).Taro Aso (September 2008).Yukio Hatoyama (September 2009), DPJ.Naoto Kan (June 2010).Yoshihiko Noda (August 2011 as 95th PM).

Political PartiesMajor Parties: - Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)- Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Third Parties- New Komeito- Communist Party- Social Democratic Party- Peoples New Party- Your Party- Sunrise Party- New Renaissance Party

Democratic Party of JapanJapans largest Party.Formed in the late 1990s.Merger of several anti-LDP parties.Board spectrum of membership, but perceived as center-left party.Diet representation:- HoR : 306. - HoC : 106.

Liberal Democratic PartySecond Largest political party.Formed in 1955 as a merger of 2 parties: Liberal Party of Japan and Democrat Party of Japan. Conservative party.Made up of various conservative and centrist factions. Had been in power since 1955-2009. Diet RepresentationHoR : 118HoC : 83

QUESTION If you take a closer look at the political succession in Japans politics, then you will find out that Japanese Prime Ministers used to govern in a relatively short period. Give your opinion on how it may affect Japans foreign policy in general!

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